Accelerated ageing unfolds along the sensorimotor-association cortical axis in schizophrenia: multi-site study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Brain Imaging

Background:

• Schizophrenia is linked to accelerated ageing and reduced lifespan.
• Previous research focused on global brain age gap, neglecting region-specific ageing.
• The connection between accelerated ageing and schizophrenia progression remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cortical spatiotemporal patterns of ageing in schizophrenia.
• To examine how ageing patterns change with disease progression.
• To identify regional differences in brain ageing within schizophrenia patients.

Main Methods:

• Utilized multi-site resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data.
• Analyzed intrinsic brain activity fluctuations in healthy controls (n=2353) and schizophrenia patients (n=546).
• Developed normative ageing models and assessed deviations in schizophrenia patients.

Main Results:

• Both groups showed age-related cortical changes along the sensorimotor-association axis.
• Schizophrenia exhibited faster cortical ageing, especially early in the disease.
• Ageing deviations in schizophrenia persisted along the sensorimotor-association axis, potentially linked to neurotransmitter systems.

Conclusions:

• Identified regional ageing trajectories organized along the sensorimotor-association cortical axis.
• Provided novel insights into atypical ageing mechanisms in schizophrenia.
• Highlighted the role of accelerated ageing in schizophrenia disease progression.