Altered functional connectivity subserving expressed emotion environments in schizophrenia: An fNIRS study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• High-expressed emotion (EE) environments are linked to increased relapse rates in schizophrenia (SZ).
• Previous research established the feasibility of using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to study cortical hemodynamics in SZ exposed to EE stimuli.
• Understanding the neural mechanisms of EE environmental factors in SZ is crucial for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying the impact of high-expressed emotion (EE) environments on individuals with schizophrenia (SZ).
• To employ functional connectivity (FC) analysis with a graph theory approach to fNIRS signals to examine brain network alterations in SZ exposed to EE stimuli.

Main Methods:

• Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to record brain activity.
• A graph theory approach was applied to analyze functional connectivity (FC) in fNIRS signals.
• Participants included individuals with schizophrenia (N=37) and healthy controls (N=40).
• Participants were exposed to high-expressed emotion (EE) stimuli.

Main Results:

• Individuals with SZ exhibited altered functional connectivity (FC) compared to healthy controls in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC), and left superior temporal gyrus (STG) under EE conditions.
• Reduced connectivity was observed in these brain regions among individuals with SZ when exposed to high-EE environments.
• A significant association was found between left vlPFC-STG coupling and the severity of negative symptoms in individuals with SZ during high-EE exposure.

Conclusions:

• Functional connectivity (FC) findings suggest individuals with SZ experience more extensive disruptions in neural functioning and coordination.
• These disruptions indicate an increased susceptibility to high-expressed emotion (EE) environments in schizophrenia.
• Integrating fNIRS with EE stimuli shows potential for assessing EE environmental influences and guiding therapeutic interventions for SZ.