Hypoconnectivity networks in schizophrenia patients: A voxel-wise meta-analysis of Rs-fMRI

In recent years several meta-analyses regarding resting-state functional connectivity in patients with schizophrenia have been published. The authors have used different data analysis techniques: regional homogeneity, seed-based data analysis, independent component analysis, and amplitude of low frequencies. Hence, we aim to perform a meta-analysis to identify connectivity networks with different activation patterns between people diagnosed with schizophrenia and healthy controls using voxel-wise analysis.

We collected primary studies exploring whole brain connectivity by functional magnetic resonance imaging at rest in patients with schizophrenia compared with healthy controls. We identified 25 studies included high-quality studies that included 1285 patients with schizophrenia and 1279 healthy controls.

The results indicate hypoactivation in the right precentral gyrus and the left superior temporal gyrus of patients with schizophrenia compared with healthy controls.

These regions have been linked with some clinical symptoms usually present in Plea with schizophrenia, such as auditory verbal hallucinations, formal thought disorder, and the comprehension and production of gestures.