Structural brain correlates of cognitive function in schizophrenia: A meta-analysis.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Schizophrenia presents with cognitive impairments and widespread brain structural abnormalities.
• Previous research focused on individual brain regions or cognitive domains, overlooking network-level interactions.
• Understanding brain structure-cognition associations is crucial for schizophrenia research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze the association between brain structure and cognition in schizophrenia.
• To investigate if these associations can be explained by biologically meaningful brain networks.
• To synthesize findings from a network neuroscience perspective.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of 7,261 screened articles, with 88 included.
• Assessment of publication bias, heterogeneity, and study quality.
• Mapping brain structure onto functionally defined networks (Yeo networks) and specific brain regions.

Main Results:

• Significant associations were found between overall brain structure and eight MATRICS-defined cognitive domains.
• Brain structure within functional networks and specific regions (amygdala, hippocampus, cerebellum) correlated with related cognitive domains.
• Higher-level cognitive functions, like executive and social cognition, were associated with multiple brain networks.

Conclusions:

• Brain structure-cognition associations in schizophrenia appear to follow the architecture of functional brain networks.
• This network-based approach offers a contemporary perspective on understanding cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.
• Findings suggest a potential framework for future research and therapeutic interventions targeting brain networks.