Saviola Francesca, Bellani Marcella, Perlini Cinzia, Squarcina Letizia, Maggioni Eleonora, Zacà Domenico, Lasalvia Antonio, Dusi Nicola, Bonetto Chiara, Cristofalo Doriana, Alessandrini Franco, Zoccatelli Giada, Ciceri Elisa, Mesiano Luca, Semrov Enrico, Lo Parrino Riccardo, Furlato Karin, Pratelli Michela, Ruggeri Mirella, Brambilla Paolo, Jovicich Jorge
CIMeC, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Trento, Italy.
Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Italy.
J Psychiatr Res. 2021 Apr;136:409-420. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.01.044. Epub 2021 Feb 5.
Patterns of coordinated variations of gray matter (GM) morphology across individuals are promising indicators of disease. However, it remains unclear if they can help characterize first-episode psychosis (FEP) and symptoms' severity.
Sixty-seven FEP and 67 matched healthy controls (HC) were assessed with structural MRI to evaluate the existence of distributed GM structural covariance patterns associated to brain areas belonging to salience network. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and structural covariance differences, investigated with salience network seed-based Partial Least Square, were applied to explore differences between groups. GM density associations with Raven's intelligent quotient (IQ) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores were investigated.
Univariate VBM results gave trend without significant GM differences across groups. GM and IQ correlated positively in both groups: in FEP, mostly in hippocampus, insula, and fronto-temporal structures, while in HC mostly in amygdala, thalamus and fronto-temporal regions. GM and PANSS scores correlated negatively in FEP, with widespread clusters located in limbic regions. Multivariate analysis showed strong and opposite structural GM covariance with salience network for FEP and HC. Moreover, structural covariance of the salience network in FEP correlated negatively with severity of clinical symptoms.
Our study provides evidence supporting the insular dysfunction model of psychosis. Reduced structural GM covariance of the salience network, with its association to symptom's severity, appears a promising morphometry feature for FEP detection.
个体间灰质（GM）形态的协同变化模式是很有前景的疾病指标。然而，它们是否有助于表征首发精神病（FEP）及其症状严重程度仍不清楚。
对67例FEP患者和67例匹配的健康对照（HC）进行结构磁共振成像评估，以评估与属于突显网络的脑区相关的分布式GM结构协方差模式的存在。基于体素的形态测量（VBM）和基于突显网络种子的偏最小二乘法研究的结构协方差差异，用于探索组间差异。研究了GM密度与瑞文智商（IQ）和阳性与阴性症状量表（PANSS）评分的相关性。
单变量VBM结果显示出趋势，但各组间GM无显著差异。两组中GM与IQ均呈正相关：在FEP组中，主要在海马体、脑岛和额颞结构中；而在HC组中，主要在杏仁核、丘脑和额颞区域。在FEP组中，GM与PANSS评分呈负相关，广泛的簇位于边缘区域。多变量分析显示，FEP组和HC组与突显网络的结构GM协方差强烈且相反。此外，FEP组中突显网络的结构协方差与临床症状严重程度呈负相关。
我们的研究提供了支持精神病岛叶功能障碍模型的证据。突显网络结构GM协方差的降低及其与症状严重程度的关联，似乎是FEP检测的一个有前景的形态测量特征。
