Yi Wang1, Zhi Li1,2, Wen-Hua Liu3, Xin-Hua Wei4, Xin-Qing Jiang4, Simon S Y Lui5, Suzanne Ho-Wai So6, Eric F C Cheung5, Martin Debbane7,8,9, Raymond C K Chan1,2. 1. Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China. 2. Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. 3. Faculty of Health Management, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China. 4. Department of Radiology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China. 5. Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. 6. Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. 7. Developmental Clinical Psychology Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerl. 8. Developmental NeuroImaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerl. 9. Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
Abstract
Background: Impairment in facial emotion perception is an important domain of social cognition deficits in schizophrenia. Although impaired facial emotion perception has been found in individuals with negative schizotypy (NS), little is known about the corresponding change in brain functional connectivity. Methods: Sixty-four participants were classified into a high NS group (n = 34) and a low NS group (n = 30) based on their total scores on the Chapman scales for physical and social anhedonia. All participants undertook a facial emotion discrimination functional imaging task that consisted of four emotional valences (angry, fear, happy, and neutral). For univariate analysis, the signal change at the bilateral amygdala was compared for each emotional contrast using SPSS (P < .05). For the functional connectivity analysis, we calculated the beta-series functional connectivity of the bilateral amygdala with the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and compared the group differences in SPM12 (P < .05, small volume family-wise error correction). Results: No significant differences were found between the high and low NS groups in accuracy and reaction time in the facial emotion discrimination task. The high NS group showed reduced brain activations at the amygdala under fearful and neutral conditions. Reduced functional connectivity between the amygdala and the mPFC/dorsal anterior cingulate cortex under the happy and fearful conditions in the high NS group was also found. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the individuals with high NS showed altered brain activity and functional connectivity at the amygdala during facial emotion processing and provide new evidence for understanding social cognition deficits in at-risk individuals.
Background: Impairment in facial emotion perception is an important domain of social cognition deficits in schizophrenia. Although impaired facial emotion perception has been found in individuals with negative schizotypy (NS), little is known about the corresponding change in brain functional connectivity. Methods: Sixty-four participants were classified into a high NS group (n = 34) and a low NS group (n = 30) based on their total scores on the Chapman scales for physical and social anhedonia. All participants undertook a facial emotion discrimination functional imaging task that consisted of four emotional valences (angry, fear, happy, and neutral). For univariate analysis, the signal change at the bilateral amygdala was compared for each emotional contrast using SPSS (P < .05). For the functional connectivity analysis, we calculated the beta-series functional connectivity of the bilateral amygdala with the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and compared the group differences in SPM12 (P < .05, small volume family-wise error correction). Results: No significant differences were found between the high and low NS groups in accuracy and reaction time in the facial emotion discrimination task. The high NS group showed reduced brain activations at the amygdala under fearful and neutral conditions. Reduced functional connectivity between the amygdala and the mPFC/dorsal anterior cingulate cortex under the happy and fearful conditions in the high NS group was also found. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the individuals with high NS showed altered brain activity and functional connectivity at the amygdala during facial emotion processing and provide new evidence for understanding social cognition deficits in at-risk individuals.
Authors: Hui-Jie Li; Raymond C K Chan; Qi-Yong Gong; Yu Liu; Shan-Ming Liu; David Shum; Zhen-Ling Ma Journal: Schizophr Res Date: 2011-11-22 Impact factor: 4.939
Authors: Laerke Gebser Krohne; Yi Wang; Jesper L Hinrich; Morten Moerup; Raymond C K Chan; Kristoffer H Madsen Journal: Hum Brain Mapp Date: 2019-08-12 Impact factor: 5.038