Characteristics of Cortical Activation in Schizophrenia during the Card Game ^|^ldquo;Concentration^|^rdquo;

Abstract

Summary:Various functional imaging studies have demonstrated reduced lateralization of cortical activation during neurocognitive tasks in schizophrenia. -A well-known card game, "concentration", reflects working memory (WM). We compared characteristics of hemodynamic changes in the prefrontal to temporo-parietal areas of the brain during this card game between 24 outpatients with schizophrenia and 24 age-and gendermatched healthy control subjects. Using multi-channel near-infrared spectroscopy, we measured relative changes in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (oxy-Hb changes), which reflects brain activity during this task. Patients showed reduced lateralization in the midfrontal area, which is involved in executive functions, and in the inferior parietal area, involved in WM subcomponents. We also found a significant negative correlation between left midfrontal region oxy-Hb changes and severity of negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Our results characterized disease-related features, suggesting the usefulness of oxy-Hb change measurement during this card game for assessing functional outcome in schizophrenic patients.

Comparison of changes in oxygenated hemoglobin during the tree-drawing task between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls

“… 15 , 27 Furthermore, activation at the middle frontal area reflecting the WM system has been reported in patients with SZ while concentrating (in a card game). 23 Since the TMT and concentration require constant behavioral modification according to the purpose, the importance of not only WM but also the executive function is considered to be marked. Therefore, comparison between the controls and patients in the present study suggested that patients found it more difficult to activate the left middle frontal region related to the executive function during the free-drawing task than controls.…”

“…In the copying task, the subjects began to copy a tree illustration in front of them after instruction. Based on Igimi and Fujiki et al, 18 , 23 the task period in the present study was set at 60 seconds ( Figure 1 ). For the control conditions of both tasks as the baseline, all the subjects continued to draw “○” and “×” for 60 seconds.…”

“…During the NIRS measurement, the jaw of subjects was fixed using a chin stand to prevent changes in blood flow due to head movement ( Figure 3A ). With reference to previous studies, 18 , 23 the probe position was decided based on the association between the channel showing changes in [oxy-Hb] level during a right-hand motion task drawing “○×” and the anatomical region. In the present study, consistent with the result of Igimi using the same method, 18 left channel (Ch) 3 was considered to correspond to the primary motor cortex (Brodmann area [BA] 4).…”

Comparison of changes in the oxygenated hemoglobin level during a ‘modified rock‐paper‐scissors task’ between healthy subjects and patients with schizophrenia

“…In addition, the probe position was decided based on the association between the channel at which changes in the oxy‐Hb level were observed during a right finger movement task and the anatomical region. The right finger movement task was correlated with the left motor cortex, and the channel corresponding to BA 4 was defined as a region near ch. 3 and ch.…”

Characteristics of oxygenated hemoglobin concentration change during pleasant and unpleasant image‐recall tasks in patients with depression: Comparison with healthy subjects

“…23,24 In addition, Shoji et al identified channel (CH) 3 as a motor field by pinching the fingers with the same probe arrangement, and it is considered that CH 6, 10, 11, and 15 on both sides exit the dorsolateral PFC and CH 14 and 19 exit the frontal pole region. 25,26 Figure 1a shows the actual mounting arrangement.…”