Neurobiological Changes of Schizotypy: Evidence From Both Volume-Based Morphometric Analysis and Resting-State Functional Connectivity

Abstract

The current study sought to examine the underlying brain changes in individuals with high schizotypy by integrating networks derived from brain structural and functional imaging. Individuals with high schizotypy (n = 35) and low schizotypy (n = 34) controls were screened using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire and underwent brain structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging on a 3T scanner. Voxel-based morphometric analysis and graph theory-based functional network analysis were conducted. Individuals with high schizotypy showed reduced gray matter (GM) density in the insula and the dorsolateral prefrontal gyrus. The graph theoretical analysis showed that individuals with high schizotypy showed similar global properties in their functional networks as low schizotypy individuals. Several hubs of the functional network were identified in both groups, including the insula, the lingual gyrus, the postcentral gyrus, and the rolandic operculum. More hubs in the frontal lobe and fewer hubs in the occipital lobe were identified in individuals with high schizotypy. By comparing the functional connectivity between clusters with abnormal GM density and the whole brain, individuals with high schizotypy showed weaker functional connectivity between the left insula and the putamen, but stronger connectivity between the cerebellum and the medial frontal gyrus. Taken together, our findings suggest that individuals with high schizotypy present changes in terms of GM and resting-state functional connectivity, especially in the frontal lobe.

Association of schizotypy with striatocortical functional connectivity and its asymmetry in healthy adults

“…Dysconnections of DLPFC and striatum have been previously observed and even proposed as a potential risk biomarker for psychosis [Dandash et al, ]. We previously observed, in two independent studies from our groups, less gray matter volume in prefrontal cortex in relation to higher positive schizotypy [Ettinger et al, 2012a, 2012b] and in high SPQ scorers compared to low SPQ scorers [Wang et al, ]. The importance of the structural and functional changes of prefrontal cortex, especially its potential role in the identification of the high‐risk individuals, needs to be tested further in the future.…”

“…Evidence from previous neuroimaging studies has pointed to structural and functional brain alterations in relation to higher schizotypy scores [Ettinger et al, ]. Specifically, structural magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that higher schizotypy is associated with reduced gray matter in frontotemporal areas [DeRosse et al, ; Ettinger et al, ; Wang et al, ; Wiebels et al, ], while there is also evidence of increased gray matter in posterior cingulate and precuneus [Modinos et al, ; Nenadic et al, ]. Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have pointed to alterations in task‐related BOLD signal during performance of cognitive or motor tasks [Ettinger et al, ].…”

Cingulo-opercular Network Efficiency Mediates the Association Between Psychotic-like Experiences and Cognitive Ability in the General Population

“…Furthermore, severity of delusions and hallucinations was negatively correlated with BOLD activation of the right insula and the anterior cingulate in a group of unmedicated first episode psychosis patients (61), suggesting that disruption of these nodes contributes to the experience of psychosis. Finally, individuals with schizotypal personality disorder, which is a disorder characterized by a relatively pervasive pattern of PLEs, have been shown to have significantly reduced gray matter volume of the insula and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and left insula volume had reduced functional connectivity with the putamen (62), further implicating the insula in PLEs across the psychosis spectrum.…”

Brain structural correlates of schizotypy and psychosis proneness in a non-clinical healthy volunteer sample

“…Hence, these two studies using current VBM methodology, identified medial and lateral prefrontal and anterior cingulate, as well as posterior cingulate and precuneus areas showing a relation to measures of attenuated positive symptoms. In addition, two most recent studies have identified brain structural effects in grey matter with reduced grey matter density in high schizotypy individuals (based on the SPQ) in the dorsolateral prefrontal and insular cortices (Wang et al, 2015), as well as reduced middle frontal grey and white matter, reduced inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus anisotropy, and greater fasciculus uncinatus asymmetry in high schizotypy (using SPQ) individuals (DeRosse et al, 2015).…”