Default mode functional connectivity is associated with social functioning in schizophrenia.

Abstract

Individuals with schizophrenia display notable deficits in social functioning. Research indicates that neural connectivity within the default mode network (DMN) is related to social cognition and social functioning in healthy and clinical populations. However, the association between DMN connectivity, social cognition, and social functioning has not been studied in schizophrenia. For the present study, we used resting-state neuroimaging data to evaluate connectivity between the main DMN hubs (i.e., the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the posterior cingulate cortex-anterior precuneus (PPC)) in individuals with schizophrenia (n=28) and controls (n=32). We also examined whether DMN connectivity was associated with social functioning via social attainment (measured by the Specific Levels of Functioning Scale) and social competence (measured by the Social Skills Performance Assessment), and if social cognition mediates the association between DMN connectivity and these measures of social functioning. Results revealed that DMN connectivity did not differ between individuals with schizophrenia and controls. However, connectivity between the mPFC and PCC hubs was significantly associated with social competence and social attainment in individuals with schizophrenia but not in controls as reflected by a significant group-by-connectivity interaction. Social cognition did not mediate the association between social functioning and DMN connectivity in individuals with schizophrenia. Our findings suggest that fronto-parietal DMN connectivity in particular may be differentially associated with social functioning in schizophrenia and controls. As a result, DMN connectivity may be used as a neuroimaging marker to monitor treatment response or as a potential target for interventions that aim to enhance social functioning in schizophrenia.

Linking resting‐state networks and social cognition in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

“…This was contrary to our hypothesis and previous findings of DMN abnormalities in both clinical samples (e.g., Das et al, 2014;Karbasforoushan & Woodward, 2012). However, the results for schizophrenia vary in terms of the direction of the effect, and some do not show any differences between patients and controls (e.g., Fox et al, 2017;Wolf et al, 2011), consistent with our current findings. For bipolar disorder, the lack of DMN functional connectivity differences from healthy controls is consistent with other studies that showed no differences, particularly during clinical remission (e.g., Syan et al, 2018).…”

Dynamic Functional Network Connectivity In Schizophrenia With MEG And fMRI, Do Different Time Scales Tell A Different Story?

“…in the absence of a defined task) using fMRI (Biswal, et al, 1995;Biswal et al, 2012) and, to a lesser extent electrophysiological methods, MEG and EEG (Brookes et al, 2011;Meier et al,. 2016;Nugent et al, 2016;Allen et al, 2017) in diverse populations including schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, and in aging (Cetin et al, 2016;Houck et al, 2017;Wu et al, 2017;Fox, 2017;Du, et al, 2016;Nashiro et al, 2017;Madden 2017;Roiser, et al, 2016;Dong, et al, 2017;Alamian, et al, 2017). To date, FNC have most often been assessed as a static feature of the data, inferred from the overall (arbitrary) duration of the scan.…”

A within‐subject consideration of the psychotic spectrum disorder concept in a patient in remission associated with cortical gray matter recovery

“…Indeed, review of pre‐post treatment with APDs suggests that loss of gray matter in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder is the most frequent change with the anterior cingulate and related areas, for example, the insular cortex being the most frequent finding . Of the 4 regions showing increased gray matter, the posterior cingulate cortex which forms a central node in the default mode network (DMN) of the brain which communicates with multiple brain networks simultaneously and is involved in various brain functions, including working and episodic memory and social cognition would appear to be of special interest in this case . In a study of remitted first‐episode patients with schizophrenia, connectivity analysis suggested mild deficits in the DMN were present in the remitted patients .…”

“…27 Of the 4 regions showing increased gray matter, the posterior cingulate cortex which forms a central node in the default mode network (DMN) of the brain which communicates with multiple brain networks simultaneously and is involved in various brain functions, including working and episodic memory and social cognition would appear to be of special interest in this case. 28,29 In a study of remitted first-episode patients with schizophrenia, connectivity analysis suggested mild deficits in the DMN were present in the remitted patients. 30 Additional evidence for the DMN and remission has been reported by Manoliou and colleagues.…”