Disrupted static and dynamic small-world brain network topologies in patients with schizophrenia
Danqing Huang1, Zhibiao Xiang1, Kang Liu2
1Department of Psychiatry and National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
Schizophrenia Research
|August 5, 2025
Summary
Schizophrenia patients exhibit altered brain network properties, showing increased randomization in both static and dynamic network models. Dynamic analysis offers unique insights into neuropathology beyond static measures.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Network Science
Background:
- Schizophrenia pathogenesis is not fully understood.
- This study investigates neuropathological mechanisms in schizophrenia.
- Focuses on static and dynamic small-world brain network properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore neuropathological mechanisms of schizophrenia.
- To compare static and dynamic brain network properties between patients and controls.
- To identify specific network alterations in schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 82 schizophrenia patients and 76 healthy controls.
- Acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data.
- Calculated and compared static and dynamic brain network topologies at whole-brain, nodal, and edge levels.
Main Results:
- Schizophrenia showed altered whole-brain network metrics (static and dynamic).
- Nodal analysis revealed reduced efficiency and clustering in specific networks (somatomotor, dorsal attention).
- Edge-level analysis indicated widespread alterations in functional connectivity and its stability.
Conclusions:
- Schizophrenia exhibits a trend towards increased network randomization.
- Both static and dynamic network models provide insights into schizophrenia neuropathology.
- Dynamic brain network analysis offers valuable information not captured by static models.
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