Shubao Wei1, Qinji Su2, Muliang Jiang3, Feng Liu4, Dapeng Yao1, Yi Dai3, Liling Long3, Yan Song1, Miaoyu Yu1, Zhikun Zhang1, Jingping Zhao5, Wenbin Guo6. 1. Mental Health Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China. 2. Mental Health Institute, The 303rd Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China. 3. Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China. 4. Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, China. 5. Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China. 6. Mental Health Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China. Electronic address: guowenbin76@163.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: While the default-mode network (DMN) appears to play a crucial role in patients suffering from somatization disorder (SD), the abnormalities of the network homogeneity (NH) of the DMN in SD patients have been poorly explored. The aim of this study is to examine DMN NH using an NH approach in patients suffering from SD at rest and determine its correlations with personality as measured by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). METHODS: A total of 25 drug-naive patients with SD and 28 sex-, age-, and education-matched healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scans at rest. The data were analyzed by an automated NH method. RESULTS: Patients showed increased NH in the left superior frontal gyrus and decreased NH in the bilateral precuneus. Moreover, a significantly negative correlation was observed between the NH values in the bilateral precuneus and the EPQ--Neuroticism scores. LIMITATIONS: The present study should be considered preliminary due to a lenient, uncorrected threshold of p<0.01. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that abnormal DMN NH exists in drug-naive SD and further highlight the importance of the DMN in the pathophysiology of SD.
BACKGROUND: While the default-mode network (DMN) appears to play a crucial role in patients suffering from somatization disorder (SD), the abnormalities of the network homogeneity (NH) of the DMN in SDpatients have been poorly explored. The aim of this study is to examine DMN NH using an NH approach in patients suffering from SD at rest and determine its correlations with personality as measured by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). METHODS: A total of 25 drug-naive patients with SD and 28 sex-, age-, and education-matched healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scans at rest. The data were analyzed by an automated NH method. RESULTS:Patients showed increased NH in the left superior frontal gyrus and decreased NH in the bilateral precuneus. Moreover, a significantly negative correlation was observed between the NH values in the bilateral precuneus and the EPQ--Neuroticism scores. LIMITATIONS: The present study should be considered preliminary due to a lenient, uncorrected threshold of p<0.01. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that abnormal DMN NH exists in drug-naive SD and further highlight the importance of the DMN in the pathophysiology of SD.