Magnetic resonance imaging DTI-FT study on schizophrenic patients with typical negative first symptoms

Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) together with a white matter fiber tracking (FT) technique was used to assess different brain white matter structures and functionalities in schizophrenic patients with typical first negative symptoms. In total, 30 schizophrenic patients with typical first negative symptoms, comprising an observation group were paired 1:1 according to gender, age, right-handedness, and education, with 30 healthy individuals in a control group. Individuals in each group underwent routine MRI and DTI examination of the brain, and diffusion-tensor tractography (DTT) data were obtained through whole brain analysis based on voxel and tractography. The results were expressed by fractional anisotropy (FA) values. The schizophrenic patients were evaluated using a positive and negative symptom scale (PANSS) as well as a Global Assessment Scale (GAS). The results of the study showed that routine MRIs identified no differences between the two groups. However, compared with the control group, the FA values obtained by DTT from the deep left prefrontal cortex, the right deep temporal lobe, the white matter of the inferior frontal gyrus and part of the corpus callosum were significantly lower in the observation group (P<0.05). The PANSS positive scale value in the observation group averaged 7.7±1.5, and the negative scale averaged 46.6±5.9, while the general psychopathology scale averaged 65.4±10.3, and GAS averaged 53.8±19.2. The Pearson statistical analysis, the left deep prefrontal cortex, the right deep temporal lobe, the white matter of the inferior frontal gyrus and the FA value of part of the corpus callosum in the observation group was negatively correlated with the negative scale (P<0.05), and positively correlated with GAS (P<0.05). In conclusion, a decrease in the FA values of the left deep prefrontal cortex, the right deep temporal lobe, the white matter of the inferior frontal gyrus and part of the corpus callosum may be associated with schizophrenia with typical first negative symptoms and the application of MRI DTI-FT can improve diagnostic accuracy.

Microstructural abnormalities in callosal fibers and their relationship with cognitive function in schizophrenia: A tract‐specific analysis study

“…Studies reported association between bilateral cortical thickness reductions in the temporal lobe and executive dysfunction in schizophrenia (Hartberg et al, 2010), as well as an association between white matter volume reductions in the temporal lobe and verbal memory, attention, problem solving, and working memory dysfunctions in a follow-up study of early-onset schizophrenia (Andreasen et al, 2011). The current results suggest that the disconnection be- the DTI whole-brain analysis in schizophrenia have been repeatedly reported in the rostrum (Ellison-Wright et al, 2014;Fujino et al, 2014;Gu et al, 2016;Hummer et al, 2016;Kochunov et al, 2014;Kong et al, 2011;Lener et al, 2015;Melicher et al, 2015;Pérez-Iglesias et al, 2010;Pomarol-Clotet et al, 2010;Roalf et al, 2013;Spalletta et al, 2015;Zhang et al, 2014Zhang et al, , 2016, body (Fujino et al, 2014;Melicher et al, 2015;Pérez-Iglesias et al, 2010;Roalf et al, 2013;Zhang et al, 2014Zhang et al, , 2016, and splenium of the CC (Cheung et al, 2008;Ellison-Wright et al, 2014;Fujino et al, 2014;Gasparotti et al, 2009;Melicher et al, 2015;Zhang et al, 2014). A meta-analysis of 22 studies found decreased FA values in the genu and splenium of CC in schizophrenia (Zhuo, Liu, Wang, Tian, & Tang, 2016).…”

“…This suggests that WM tracts in the temporal lobe may affect in schizophrenia, with the disconnectivity of the gray matter regions which they link. Decreased FA values of the CC on the DTI whole‐brain analysis in schizophrenia have been repeatedly reported in the rostrum (Ellison‐Wright et al, ; Fujino et al, ; Gu et al, ; Hummer et al, ; Kochunov et al, ; Kong et al, ; Lener et al, ; Melicher et al, ; Pérez‐Iglesias et al, ; Pomarol‐Clotet et al, ; Roalf et al, ; Spalletta et al, ; Zhang et al, , ), body (Fujino et al, ; Melicher et al, ; Pérez‐Iglesias et al, ; Roalf et al, ; Zhang et al, , ), and splenium of the CC (Cheung et al, ; Ellison‐Wright et al, ; Fujino et al, ; Gasparotti et al, ; Melicher et al, ; Zhang et al, ). A meta‐analysis of 22 studies found decreased FA values in the genu and splenium of CC in schizophrenia (Zhuo, Liu, Wang, Tian, & Tang, ).…”

“…With regard to FA values of the CC and psychiatric symptoms, study results are inconsistent. They reported FA values of the anterior CC and negative correlation with both negative symptoms (Gu et al, ; Kubicki et al, ; Nakamura et al, ) and positive symptoms (Knöchel et al, ; Kubicki et al, ). FA values of the posterior CC were negatively correlated with negative symptoms (Rigucci et al, ), negatively correlated with positive symptoms (Kubicki et al, ), but positively correlated with positive symptoms (Rotarska‐Jagiela et al, ).…”

“…FA values of the posterior CC were negatively correlated with negative symptoms (Rigucci et al, ), negatively correlated with positive symptoms (Kubicki et al, ), but positively correlated with positive symptoms (Rotarska‐Jagiela et al, ). FA values of other white matter fibers have also been reported to have inconsistent directions of association, with studies reporting positive correlations with both positive (Andreasen et al, ; Chan et al, ; Cheung et al, ; Choi et al, ; Lee et al, ; Moriya et al, ; Psomiades et al, ; Rotarska‐Jagiela et al, , ; Seok et al, ; Szeszko et al, ; Whitford et al, ) and negative symptoms (Lener et al, ; Mendelsohn, Strous, Bleich, Assaf, & Hendler, ; Michael, Calhoun, Pearlson, Baum, & Caprihan, ) and negative correlations both with positive (Lee et al, ; Skelly et al, ) and with negative symptoms (Balevich et al, ; Gu et al, ; Luck et al, ; Mendelsohn et al, ; Michael et al, ; Moriya et al, ; Rigucci et al, ; Szeszko et al, ; Wolkin et al, ). Many studies reported no relationship between FA values and psychiatric symptoms using whole‐brain analyses (Chen et al, ; Kyriakopoulos et al, ; Kyriakopoulos, Vyas, Barker, Chitnis, & Frangou, ; Liu et al, ; Melicher et al, ; Sugranyes et al, ; Wang et al, ) and more specific region‐of‐interest analyses including the CC (Li et al, ) and other regions (Kawashima et al, ; Kitamura et al, ; Kitis et al, ; Kumra et al, ; Price et al, ).…”

White Matter Integrity of the Corpus Callosum and Psychopathological Dimensions in Deficit and Non-Deficit Schizophrenia Patients

“…However, after Holm–Bonferroni correction, these correlations became less strong [ 41 , 82 ]. In contrast, there are reports of negative correlations of FA in the CC with positive symptoms [ 83 ] and negative symptoms [ 59 , 76 , 83 , 84 ]. This ambiguity is exacerbated by reports that did not find any links between psychopathology and diffusion parameters [ 85 ].…”