Enhanced Connectivity of Thalamo-Cortical Networks in First-Episode, Treatment-Naive Somatization Disorder

Abstract

Background Dysfunctions of the thalamus and its projections to cortical cortices have been implicated in patient with somatization disorder (SD). However, changes in the anatomical specificity of thalamo-cortical functional connectivity (FC) in SD remain unclear. Methods Resting-state fMRI scans were collected in 25 first-episode, drug-naive patients with SD, as well as 28 sex-, age-, and education-matched healthy controls. We parcellated the thalamus with seven predefined regions of interest (ROIs) and used them as seeds to map whole-brain FC. Correlation analysis was conducted in the patients. Results We found an increased pattern of thalamic ROI-cortex connectivity in patients with SD. Patients with SD demonstrated enhanced thalamic connectivity to the bilateral anterior/middle cingulum, motor/sensory cortex, visual cortex, and auditory cortex. A significantly negative correlation was found between the right occipital thalamic ROI to the anterior cingulum and EPQ extraversion scores ( r =0.404, p =0.045) after the Benjamini-Hochberg correction. Conclusions This study demonstrates that anatomical specificity of enhanced thalamo-cortical FCs exists in first-episode, drug-naive patients with SD. These findings further highlight the importance of the thalamic subregions in the pathophysiology of SD.

White matter microstructure of children with sensory over-responsivity is associated with affective behavior

“…This is in general agreement with our findings of a widespread network of white matter pathways related to somatization in boys with SOR, including cortico-cortical association tracts, cortico-subcortical projection tracts, and cerebellar pathways. Alterations of corticothalamic functional connectivity to somatosensory, auditory, and visual cortex have also been found in somatization disorder in adults using resting state functional MRI (fMRI) [ 63 ], which thereby implicates the PLIC and other posterior sensory WM tracts.…”

Significant Structural Alterations and Functional Connectivity Alterations of Cerebellar Gray Matter in Patients With Somatic Symptom Disorder

“…For example, Pan et al (2019) found that patients with SSD exhibited an increased global functional connectivity (GFC) in the right inferior temporal gyrus and left superior occipital gyrus and a decreased GFC in the right insula compared with healthy controls (HCs). In contrast, Zhao et al (2020) demonstrated an enhanced thalamocortical functional connectivity (FC) in first-episode, drug-naive patients with SSD. In terms of structural abnormalities, Yildirim et al (2012) found significantly smaller pituitary volumes in somatization patients compared with HCs.…”