Global and regional cortical thickness associations with general and domain-specific cognition in first-episode psychosis

Background: Psychosis is often characterized by global and regional brain structure alterations as well as general and domain-specific cognitive deficits. Previous brain structure-cognition findings in psychosis generally involve brain regions of interest or individual cognitive domains that may reflect global/general rather than regional/domain-specific effects. Here, we systematically examined whether global cortical thickness and/or general cognition drive thickness-cognition associations in two first-episode psychosis (FEP) samples to examine generalizability. Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging, cognitive, and sociodemographic data were acquired in two samples (sample 1: 114 FEP, 81 control; sample 2: 62 FEP, 53 control). Multivariate global thickness-general cognition associations were examined in patients using partial least squares (PLS) to optimize brain-cognition associations. Then, mean thickness and mean cognition were cumulatively covaried from the thickness data and cognitive data, respectively, to probe associations between (1) regional thickness and general cognition (covarying mean thickness) and (2) regional thickness and domain-specific cognition (covarying mean thickness and mean cognition). Results: A general cognitive impairment was associated with global thinning as well as bidirectional regional alterations (decreased motor, inferior temporal, and increased frontal thickness), which related to symptoms and generalized out-of-sample. Sample- and domain-specific bidirectional alterations were observed for verbal memory, processing speed, visual memory, attention. Conclusions: Examining brain regions-of-interest and/or individual cognitive domains may capture global/general deficits rather than region- or domain-specific associations. Bidirectional thickness alterations point to inefficient cortical reorganization rather than unidimensional decline. Domain-specific associations may represent subgroups of patients with distinct sociodemographic, clinical, and cognitive profiles, who might benefit from more personalized interventions.

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

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291716000684 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 46 (10) ◽

pp. 2145-2155 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

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.

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T183. LOW LEVELS OF VITAMIN D ARE ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCED CORTICAL THICKNESS AND SURFACE AREA IN FRONTAL, TEMPORAL AND OCCIPITAL REGIONS IN FIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS PATIENTS

Schizophrenia Bulletin ◽

10.1093/schbul/sbaa029.743 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S301-S302

Author(s):

Simone Ciufolini ◽

John Lally ◽

Brendon Stubbs ◽

Shubulade Smith ◽

Marta Di Forti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Surface Area ◽

Cortical Thickness ◽

Brain Structure ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

First Episode ◽

Vitamin D Levels ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Low Levels ◽

The Right

Abstract Background Vitamin D is a neuro-steroid hormone important in brain development, maturation and function as it modulates the production of numerous brain growth factors. Indeed insufficient levels seem to compromise brain development and confer an increased risk of developing schizophrenia later on in life. Finally patients with first-episode psychosis tend to have lower levels of vitamin D than healthy controls. We aimed to explore: 1) The association between vitamin levels and brain structure (i.e. cortical thickness and surface area) in FEP individuals; 2) Differences in brain structure (i.e. cortical thickness and surface area) between FEP individuals with optimal and sub-optimal levels of Vitamin D. Methods Sample: 49 patients with first episode of psychosis (mean age: 27.8 SD ± 9.1 years) part of the BRC Psychosis Theme study on Genetics and Psychosis (GAP). Vitamin D: Vitamin D (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D) levels were determined by immunoassay. Patients were considered to have sub-optimal levels if vitamin D concentration was below 20 ng/ml, with higher concentrations deemed optimal. Twenty patients had sub-optimal levels of Vitamin D whereas 29 had optimal Vitamin D concentration. Brain Structure: 3T MRI scan were used to evaluate the cortical thickness and the surface area in 49 FEP patients. FreeSurfer 5.3.0 was used to correlate Vitamin D levels with both cortical thickness and surface area in a vertex-by-vertex analysis. afterwards differences in cortical thickness and surface area between FEP participants with both optimal and sub-optimal Vitamin D levels were examined using a vertex-by-vertex General Linear Model analysis in FreeSurfer 5.3.0. Results were corrected for multiples comparison with Montecarlo simulation. Results Vitamin D levels positively correlated with cortical thickness in the left superior-frontal gyrus and surface area in the right peri-calcarine and right inferior-parietal gyrus (all p<0.05 FWE corrected). FEP patients with sub-optimal levels of Vitamin D (below 20 ng/ml) had reduced cortical thickness in the right medial-orbitofrontal gyrus and lingual gyrus compared to those with optimal levels of Vitamin D (all p<0.05 FWE corrected). Additionally, FEP patients with sub-optimal levels of Vitamin D had smaller surface areas in the cuneus, latero-orbitofrontal gyrus, pre- and post central gyri, superio-frontal gyrus, and inferio parietal gyrus in the right hemisphere than those with optimal levels (all p<0.05 FWE corrected). Discussion Vitamin D levels are associated with reduced cortical thickness and smaller surface area in frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital brain regions in individuals with FEP. Interestingly, these areas complete their maturation well into late adolescence, thus potentially being exposed to low Vitamin D levels over a long period of time may contribute to specific brain structure in adulthood. The identification of a specific brain conformation associated to low levels of Vitamin D would promote greater understanding of the interface between physical and mental illness fostering the development of precision psychiatry.

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Conceptual disorganization and redistribution of resting state cortical hubs in untreated first episode psychosis: A 7T MRI study

10.31234/osf.io/rzvby ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Avyarthana Dey ◽

Kara Dempster ◽

Michael Mackinley ◽

Peter Jeon ◽

Tushar Das ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Negative Symptoms ◽

Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽

Brain Regions ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Cortical Reorganization ◽

First Episode ◽

Formal Thought Disorder ◽

Whole Brain ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Positive And Negative Symptoms

Background:Network level dysconnectivity has been studied in positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Conceptual disorganization (CD) is a symptom subtype which predicts impaired real-world functioning in psychosis. Systematic reviews have reported aberrant connectivity in formal thought disorder, a construct related to CD. However, no studies have investigated whole-brain functional correlates of CD in psychosis. We sought to investigate brain regions explaining the severity of CD in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEPs) compared with healthy controls (HCs).Methods:We computed whole-brain binarized degree centrality maps of 31 FEPs, 25 HCs and characterized the patterns of network connectivity in the two groups. In FEPs, we related these findings to the severity of CD. We also studied the effect of positive and negative symptoms on altered network connectivity.Results:Compared to HCs, reduced hubness of a right superior temporal gyrus (rSTG) cluster was observed in the FEPs. In patients exhibiting high CD, increased hubness of a medial superior parietal (mSPL) cluster was observed, compared to patients exhibiting low CD. These two regions were strongly correlated with CD scores but not with other symptom scores.Discussion:Our observations are congruent with previous findings of reduced but not increased hubness. We observed increased hubness of mSPL suggesting that cortical reorganization occurs to provide alternate routes for information transfer.Conclusion:These findings provide insight into the underlying neural processes mediating the presentation of symptoms in untreated FEP. A longitudinal tracking of the symptom course will be useful to assess the mechanisms underlying these compensatory changes.

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Are There Gender Differences in Social Cognition in First-Episode Psychosis?

Women ◽

10.3390/women1040018 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (4) ◽

pp. 204-211

Author(s):

Marina Verdaguer-Rodríguez ◽

Raquel López-Carrilero ◽

Marta Ferrer-Quintero ◽

Helena García-Mieres ◽

Luciana Díaz-Cutraro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

Social Cognition ◽

Attributional Style ◽

Social Cognitive ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Test Theory ◽

First Episode ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

The Social

The aim of this study was to explore gender differences in social cognition in a sample of first-episode psychosis (FEP). An observational descriptive study was performed with 191 individuals with FEP. Emotion perception was assessed using the Faces Test, theory of mind was assessed using the Hinting Task, and attributional style was assessed using the Internal, Personal and Situational Attributions Questionnaire. No gender differences were found in any of the social cognitive domains. Our results suggest that men and women with FEP achieve similar performances in social cognition. Therefore, targeting specific needs in social cognition regarding gender may not be required in early interventions for psychosis.

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Longitudinal changes in brain metabolites in healthy subjects and patients with first episode psychosis (FEP): a 7-Tesla MRS study

10.1101/2020.08.25.267419 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Min Wang ◽

Peter B. Barker ◽

Nicola Cascella ◽

Jennifer M. Coughlin ◽

Gerald Nestadt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adulthood ◽

Brain Regions ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

7 Tesla ◽

First Episode ◽

Resonance Spectroscopy ◽

Invasive Approach ◽

Longitudinal Changes ◽

Episode Psychosis

AbstractObjective7 Tesla (T) longitudinal magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) offers a precise measurment of metabolic levels in human brain via a non-invasive approach. Studying longitudinal changes in neurometabolites could help identify trait and state markers for diseases and understand inconsistent findings from different researchers due to differences in the age of study participants and duration of illness. This study is the first to report novel longitudinal patterns in young adulthood from both physiological and pathological viewpoints using 7T MRS.MethodsUtilizing a four-year longitudinal cohort with 38 first episode psychosis (FEP) patients (onset within 2 years) and 48 healthy controls (HC), the authors examined the annual percentage changes of 9 neurometabolites in 5 brain regions.ResultsBoth FEP patients and HC subjects were found to have significant longitudinal reductions in glutamate (Glu) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Only FEP patients were found to have a significant decrease over time in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), myo-inositol (mI), and total choline (tCho: phosphocholine plus glycerophosphocholine) in the ACC. Uniquely, glutathione (GSH) was found to have a near zero annual percentage change in both FEP patients and HC subjects in all 5 brain regions over a four-year timespan in young adulthood.ConclusionsGSH could be a trait marker for diagnostic applications at least in young adulthood. Glu, GABA, NAA, mI, and tCho in the ACC are associated with the patient’s status and could be state markers for mechanistic studies of psychotic disorders, including those for progressive pathological changes and medication effects in young adulthood.

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Social functioning in a first-episode of psychosis: can the existence of affective symptoms influence it?

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(11)73108-x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (S2) ◽

pp. 1403-1403

Author(s):

M. Ienciu ◽

F. Romosan ◽

C. Bredicean ◽

R. Romosan ◽

A. Moroianu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Marital Status ◽

Social Functioning ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

First Episode ◽

Professional Status ◽

Family Status ◽

Affective Symptoms ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Two Samples ◽

Instructional Level

IntroductionBesides psychopathological outcome, the outcome in terms of social functioning is of great importance in first-episode psychosis. This paper has analyzed three components of social functioning: instructional level, professional and marital status.ObjectivesThe objective of this paper is to analyze the social functioning after two years of evolution in a sample of subjects with a first-episode psychosis.AimsThe aim is to determine the way in which the presence of affective elements can influence social functioning in a first-episode psychosis.Methods43 subjects with a first-episode psychosis have been divided into 2 samples, according to the existence of (sample A) / the absence of (sample B) affective symptoms (depressive or manic). We have to mention that the affective elements have not fulfilled the ICD 10 criteria for an affective episode. These two samples have been analyzed at onset and after two years of evolution, according to the following parameters: instructional level, professional and marital status.ResultsWe have noticed that there were changes only regarding the professional status and instructional level. After 2 years of evolution, the number of employed subjects was higher in sample A, compared to sample B. All of the subjects in sample A, which were students during their first episode of psychosis, have managed to finish their studies. Family status was not modified in any sample.ConclusionThe existence of affective elements in a first-episode psychosis has an influence only regarding the professional status.

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EPA-0863 - Progression of changes in brain structure and executive functions in children and adolescents with first-episode psychosis

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(14)78194-5 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

C. Martínez Díaz-Caneja ◽

R. Piqueras ◽

I. Nieto ◽

L. Pina-Camacho ◽

J. Janssen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Functions ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Brain Structure ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

First Episode ◽

Episode Psychosis

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Similarities and Differences in Associations Between Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP) and Demographic, Premorbid, and Symptom Severity Measures in Two Samples of First-Episode Psychosis Patients from Mexico and the United States

Psychiatric Quarterly ◽

10.1007/s11126-020-09736-3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 91 (3) ◽

pp. 769-781

Author(s):

Ana Fresan ◽

Rogelio Apiquian ◽

Rebeca Robles-García ◽

Carlos-Alfonso Tovilla Zarate ◽

Pierfrancesco Maria Balducci ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Symptom Severity ◽

The United States ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

First Episode ◽

Duration Of Untreated Psychosis ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Two Samples ◽

Similarities And Differences

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Brain structural correlates of functional capacity in first-episode psychosis

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-73553-8 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Erkan Alkan ◽

Geoff Davies ◽

Kathy Greenwood ◽

Simon L. Evans

Keyword(s):

Functional Capacity ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Brain Regions ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

First Episode ◽

Control Group ◽

Neural Basis ◽

Antipsychotic Therapy ◽

Brain Volumes ◽

Episode Psychosis

Abstract Impaired functional capacity is a core feature of schizophrenia and presents even in first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients. Impairments in daily functioning tend to persist despite antipsychotic therapy but their neural basis is less clear. Previous studies suggest that volume loss in frontal cortex might be an important contributor, but findings are inconsistent. We aimed to comprehensively investigate the brain structural correlates of functional capacity in FEP using MRI and a reliable objective measure of functioning [University of California, San Diego Performance-Based Skills Assessment (UPSA)]. In a sample of FEP (n = 39) and a well-matched control group (n = 21), we measured cortical thickness, gray matter volume, and white matter tract integrity (fractional anisotropy, FA) within brain regions implicated by previous work. The FEP group had thinner cortex in various frontal regions and fusiform, and reduced FA in inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF). In FEP, poorer functional capacity correlated with reduced superior frontal volume and lower FA in left ILF. Importantly, frontal brain volumes and integrity of the ILF were identified as the structural correlates of functional capacity in FEP, controlling for other relevant factors. These findings enhance mechanistic understanding of functional capacity deficits in schizophrenia by specifying the underlying neural correlates. In future, this could help inform intervention strategies.

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