Institute of Military Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100850, China.
Sci Rep. 2019 Feb 27;9(1):2952. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-39367-z.
Cognitive deficits are considered a core component of schizophrenia and may predict functional outcome. However, the neural underpinnings of neuropsychological impairment remain to be fully elucidated. Data of 59 schizophrenia patients and 72 healthy controls from a public resting-state fMRI database was employed in our study. Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) Battery was used to measure deficits of cognitive abilities in schizophrenia. Neural correlates of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia were examined by linear regression analysis of the thalamocortical network activity with scores of seven cognitive domains. We confirmed the combination of reduced prefrontal-thalamic connectivity and increased sensorimotor-thalamic connectivity in patients with schizophrenia. Correlation analysis with cognition revealed that in schizophrenia (1) the thalamic functional connectivity in the bilateral pre- and postcentral gyri was negatively correlated with attention/vigilance and speed of processing (Pearson's r ≤ -0.443, p ≤ 0.042, FWE corrected), and positively correlated with patients' negative symptoms (Pearson's r ≥ 0.375, p ≤ 0.003, FWE corrected); (2) the thalamic functional connectivity in the right cerebellum was positively correlated with speed of processing (Pearson's r = 0.388, p = 0.01, FWE corrected). Our study demonstrates that thalamic hyperconnectivity with sensorimotor areas is related to the severity of cognitive deficits and clinical symptoms, and extends our understanding of the neural underpinnings of "cognitive dysmetria" in schizophrenia.
认知缺陷被认为是精神分裂症的核心组成部分，并且可能预测功能结果。然而，神经心理学损伤的神经基础仍有待充分阐明。我们的研究使用了来自公共静息态 fMRI 数据库的 59 名精神分裂症患者和 72 名健康对照者的数据。使用测量和治疗研究改善精神分裂症认知（MATRICS）电池来测量精神分裂症患者认知能力的缺陷。通过对丘脑皮质网络活动与七个认知领域的评分进行线性回归分析，研究了精神分裂症认知缺陷的神经相关性。我们证实了精神分裂症患者前额叶-丘脑连接减少和感觉运动-丘脑连接增加的组合。与认知的相关分析表明，在精神分裂症患者中：（1）双侧额顶和中央后回的丘脑功能连接与注意力/警觉和处理速度呈负相关（Pearson r ≤ -0.443，p ≤ 0.042，FWE 校正），与患者的阴性症状呈正相关（Pearson r ≥ 0.375，p ≤ 0.003，FWE 校正）；（2）右小脑的丘脑功能连接与处理速度呈正相关（Pearson r = 0.388，p = 0.01，FWE 校正）。我们的研究表明，与感觉运动区域的丘脑过度连接与认知缺陷和临床症状的严重程度有关，并扩展了我们对精神分裂症“认知失配”的神经基础的理解。
