scholarly journals Cortical Contributions to Distinct Symptom Dimensions of Catatonia

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 1184-1194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dusan Hirjak ◽  
Katharina M Kubera ◽  
Georg Northoff ◽  
Stefan Fritze ◽  
Alina L Bertolino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Goal Orientation ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Symptom Dimensions ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽  
And Behavior

Abstract Catatonia is a central aspect of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) and most likely associated with abnormalities in affective, motor, and sensorimotor brain regions. However, contributions of different cortical features to the pathophysiology of catatonia in SSD are poorly understood. Here, T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging data at 3 T were obtained from 56 right-handed patients with SSD. Using FreeSurfer version 6.0, we calculated cortical thickness, area, and local gyrification index (LGI). Catatonic symptoms were examined on the Northoff catatonia rating scale (NCRS). Patients with catatonia (NCRS total score ≥3; n = 25) showed reduced surface area in the parietal and medial orbitofrontal gyrus and LGI in the temporal gyrus (P < .05, corrected for cluster-wise probability [CWP]) as well as hypergyrification in rostral cingulate and medial orbitofrontal gyrus when compared with patients without catatonia (n = 22; P < .05, corrected for CWP). Following a dimensional approach, a negative association between NCRS motor and behavior scores and cortical thickness in superior frontal, insular, and precentral cortex was found (34 patients with at least 1 motor and at least 1 other affective or behavioral symptom; P < .05, corrected for CWP). Positive associations were found between NCRS motor and behavior scores and surface area and LGI in superior frontal, posterior cingulate, precentral, and pericalcarine gyrus (P < .05, corrected for CWP). The data support the notion that cortical features of distinct evolutionary and genetic origin differently contribute to catatonia in SSD. Catatonia in SSD may be essentially driven by cortex variations in frontoparietal regions including regions implicated in the coordination and goal-orientation of behavior.

scholarly journals FMRI Investigation of Spatial Memory Abilities in Individuals Living With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne K. Wilkins
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Memory ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Spatial Strategy ◽  
Impaired Performance ◽  
Starting Position ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽  
Hippocampal Lesions ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

Different strategies dependent on different brain regions may be spontaneously adopted to solve most spatial memory and navigation tasks. For this dissertation, I used brain-imaging and cognitive tasks to test the hypothesis that individuals living with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) have selective hippocampal-dependent spatial memory impairment. A hippocampal-dependent spatial strategy (locale/allocentric/cognitive map/viewpoint-independent) involves relying on learning the relations between landmarks in the environment, whereas a response strategy (taxon/egocentric/viewpoint-dependent) is more associated with caudate function and involves learning a sequence from a single starting position. In Experiment 1, I examined performance and brain activation with fMRI during the 4-on-8 virtual maze (4/8VM) to test the hypothesis of intact response versus impaired spatial memory in SSD. The SSD participants who adopted a spatial strategy performed more poorly and had less hippocampal activation than other groups. In Experiment 2, I further examined these data using multivariate PLS (partial least squares) analyses to identify whole-brain patterns of activation associated with group and strategy differences on the 4/8VM. Results revealed clusters of correlated activation within the temporal lobe unique to the SSD-Spatial group. The SSD Response group activated the same regions as the Healthy groups, but to a greater extent suggesting over-activation. In contrast to the between-subjects nature of strategy differences on the 4/8VM, for Experiment 3 I used the Courtyard Task to seek converging evidence of a selective hippocampal-dependent impairment in spatial memory using a within-subjects design. The Courtyard Task has previously demonstrated impaired performance among individuals with hippocampal lesions under shifted-view (allocentric) but not same-view (egocentric) conditions. Consistent with a profile of hippocampal dysfunction, the SSD group demonstrated a particular deficit under the shifted-view condition. The results support the development of protocols to train impaired hippocampal-dependent abilities and harness non-hippocampal dependent intact abilities. Overall, this dissertation provides valuable information characterizing spatial memory and highlights the importance of strategy use in SSD.

scholarly journals Cortical thickness and surface area correlates with cognitive dysfunction among first-episode psychosis patients

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. 2145-2155 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Haring ◽  
A. Müürsepp ◽  
R. Mõttus ◽  
P. Ilves ◽  
K. Koch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structure Function ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Brain Structure ◽  
Brain Mri ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
First Episode Psychosis ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Neurocognitive Performance ◽  
Episode Psychosis

BackgroundIn studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), some have reported specific brain structure–function relationships among first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients, but findings are inconsistent. We aimed to localize the brain regions where cortical thickness (CTh) and surface area (cortical area; CA) relate to neurocognition, by performing an MRI on participants and measuring their neurocognitive performance using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), in order to investigate any significant differences between FEP patients and control subjects (CS).MethodExploration of potential correlations between specific cognitive functions and brain structure was performed using CANTAB computer-based neurocognitive testing and a vertex-by-vertex whole-brain MRI analysis of 63 FEP patients and 30 CS.ResultsSignificant correlations were found between cortical parameters in the frontal, temporal, cingular and occipital brain regions and performance in set-shifting, working memory manipulation, strategy usage and sustained attention tests. These correlations were significantly dissimilar between FEP patients and CS.ConclusionsSignificant correlations between CTh and CA with neurocognitive performance were localized in brain areas known to be involved in cognition. The results also suggested a disrupted structure–function relationship in FEP patients compared with CS.

Awareness of illness moderates self-assessment of psychotic symptoms

2021 ◽  
pp. 000486742110574
Author(s):  
Luis Martinez Agulleiro ◽  
Renato de Filippis ◽  
Stella Rosson ◽  
Bhagyashree Patil ◽  
Lara Prizgint ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽  
Psychiatric Rating ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Psychiatric Rating Scale

Objective: Self-reports or patient-reported outcome measures are seldom used in psychosis due to concerns about the ability of patients to accurately report their symptomatology, particularly in cases of low awareness of illness. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of insight on the accuracy of self-reported psychotic symptoms using a computerized adaptive testing tool (CAT-Psychosis). Methods: A secondary analysis of data drawn from the CAT-Psychosis development and validation study was performed. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Scale of Unawareness of Mental Disorders were administered by clinicians. Patients completed the self-reported version of the CAT-Psychosis. Patients were median-split regarding their insight level to compare the correlation between the two psychosis severity measures. A subgroup sensitivity analysis was performed only on patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Results: A total of 159 patients with a psychotic disorder who completed both CAT-Psychosis and Scale of Unawareness of Mental Disorders were included. For the whole sample, CAT-Psychosis scores showed convergent validity with Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ratings ( r = 0.517, 95% confidence interval = [0.392, 0.622], p < 0.001). Insight was found to moderate this correlation (β = –0.511, p = 0.005), yet agreement between both measures remained statistically significant for both high ( r = 0.621, 95% confidence interval = [0.476, 0.733], p < 0.001) and low insight patients ( r = 0.408, 95% confidence interval = [0.187, 0.589], p < 0.001), while psychosis severity was comparable between these groups (for Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale: U = 3057, z = –0.129, p = 0.897; disorganization: U = 2986.5, z = –0.274, p = 0.784 and for CAT-Psychosis: U = 2800.5, z = –1.022, p = 0.307). Subgroup of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders showed very similar results. Conclusions: Insight moderates the correlation between self-reported and clinician-rated severity of psychosis, yet CAT-Psychosis remains valid in patients with both high and low awareness of illness.

scholarly journals Beyond the average brain: individual differences in social brain development are associated with friendship quality

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrik I Becht ◽  
Lara M Wierenga ◽  
Kathryn L Mills ◽  
Rosa Meuwese ◽  
Anna van Duijvenvoorde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Friendship Quality ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Structural Development ◽  
Quality Development ◽  
Social Brain ◽  
Temporoparietal Junction

Abstract We tested whether adolescents differ from each other in the structural development of the social brain and whether individual differences in social brain development predicted variability in friendship quality development. Adolescents (N = 299, Mage T1 = 13.98 years) were followed across three biannual waves. We analysed self-reported friendship quality with the best friend at T1 and T3, and bilateral measures of surface area and cortical thickness of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and precuneus across all waves. At the group level, growth curve models confirmed non-linear decreases of surface area and cortical thickness in social brain regions. We identified substantial individual differences in levels and change rates of social brain regions, especially for surface area of the mPFC, pSTS and TPJ. Change rates of cortical thickness varied less between persons. Higher levels of mPFC surface area and cortical thickness predicted stronger increases in friendship quality over time. Moreover, faster cortical thinning of mPFC surface area predicted a stronger increase in friendship quality. Higher levels of TPJ cortical thickness predicted lower friendship quality. Together, our results indicate heterogeneity in social brain development and how this variability uniquely predicts friendship quality development.

scholarly journals Schizotypal Disorder in Children—A Neglected Diagnosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce J Tonge ◽  
Renee Testa ◽  
Carmela Díaz-Arteche ◽  
Avril V Brereton ◽  
Katerina Stephanou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
International Classification Of Diseases ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Diagnostic Process ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Diagnostic And Statistical Manual ◽  
Dsm 5 ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽  
Classification Of Diseases ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Schizotypal Disorder

Abstract Disabling psychotic-like perceptions, thoughts, and behavior have long been recognized in children. These symptoms have an adverse impact on child and family and are a developmental predictor of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD). Attempts to classify this phenomenon separately and within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) systems have been unsuccessful until the DSM-5 and ICD-11. The categorization of Schizotypal Disorder within the SSDs in DSM-5 and ICD-11, and recognition that it is manifest in childhood, has established Schizotypal Disorder in Childhood (SDC) as a focus for clinical attention and research. This article aims to increase the awareness of this debilitating disorder by describing 3 case studies (ages 6, 8, and 9), which illustrate and refine the clinical presentation and cognitive profile of SDC. Biopsychosocial risk factors, comorbid disorders, and features that differentiate it from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are discussed. A comprehensive understanding of SDC will improve the accuracy and validity of the diagnostic process and pave the way for further research into its etiology, developmental pathway, and treatment.

Auditory Cortex Characteristics in Early Onset Psychosis and its Associations with Auditory Hallucinations: A Structural MRI Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S59-S59
Author(s):  
R.E. Smelror ◽  
V. Lonning ◽  
L. Mørch-Johnsen ◽  
S. Nerland ◽  
T. Gurholt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Early Onset ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Auditory Hallucinations ◽  
Structure Variation ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽  
Early Onset Psychosis

IntroductionSmaller auditory cortex volume in schizophrenia patients with auditory hallucinations (AH) may be a result of reduced cortical surface area and/or cortical thickness. A neuro–imaging study from our group demonstrated that adult schizophrenia spectrum patients with AH had significantly thinner cortex in the left side Heschl's gyrus (HG), compared to patients without AH, and healthy controls (HC).ObjectivesThis study aims to investigate if adolescents with early-onset psychosis (EOP) and AH demonstrate thinner cortices in HG, as found in Mørch-Johnsen et al. in 2016, compared to EOP patients without AH, and HC.MethodsEOP patients (schizophrenia spectrum, psychotic disorder not otherwise specified) (n = 29) underwent MRI. Mean volume, cortical thickness and surface area in auditory cortex regions (HG, superior temporal gyrus [STG]) were compared between patients with AH (n = 20) and without AH (n = 9), measured with item P3 from the Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and 48 HC.ResultsPreliminary results show no significant differences between patients with and without AH and HC in mean volume, cortical thickness, or surface area in HG or STG. There were no significant side differences across hemispheres for these structures.ConclusionsAH in EOP were not related to smaller volume, thinner cortex or reduced surface area in auditory cortex regions. To overcome the limitation of having a relatively small sample size, the sample will be expanded with other EOP cohorts. Investigations into HG structure variation in relation to AH in EOP will also be conducted.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Interactive impact of childhood maltreatment, depression, and age on cortical brain structure: mega-analytic findings from a large multi-site cohort

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 1020-1031 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Tozzi ◽  
Lisa Garczarek ◽  
Deborah Janowitz ◽  
Dan J. Stein ◽  
Katharina Wittfeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Temporal Lobe ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Parietal Lobe ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Brain Maturation ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Childhood Trauma Questionnaire ◽  
Middle Temporal

AbstractBackgroundChildhood maltreatment (CM) plays an important role in the development of major depressive disorder (MDD). The aim of this study was to examine whether CM severity and type are associated with MDD-related brain alterations, and how they interact with sex and age.MethodsWithin the ENIGMA-MDD network, severity and subtypes of CM using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire were assessed and structural magnetic resonance imaging data from patients with MDD and healthy controls were analyzed in a mega-analysis comprising a total of 3872 participants aged between 13 and 89 years. Cortical thickness and surface area were extracted at each site using FreeSurfer.ResultsCM severity was associated with reduced cortical thickness in the banks of the superior temporal sulcus and supramarginal gyrus as well as with reduced surface area of the middle temporal lobe. Participants reporting both childhood neglect and abuse had a lower cortical thickness in the inferior parietal lobe, middle temporal lobe, and precuneus compared to participants not exposed to CM. In males only, regardless of diagnosis, CM severity was associated with higher cortical thickness of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex. Finally, a significant interaction between CM and age in predicting thickness was seen across several prefrontal, temporal, and temporo-parietal regions.ConclusionsSeverity and type of CM may impact cortical thickness and surface area. Importantly, CM may influence age-dependent brain maturation, particularly in regions related to the default mode network, perception, and theory of mind.

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