Kwang-Hyuk Lee1, Hyerim Oh1, Jee-Hyung S Suh1, Kang Ik K Cho1, Youngwoo Bryan Yoon1, Won-Gyo Shin1, Tae Young Lee1, Jun Soo Kwon1. 1. From the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea (Lee, Oh, Suh, Cho, Yoon, Kwon); the Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (Lee, Kwon); the Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, SNU-MRC, Seoul, Korea (Cho, Shin); the Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, Korea (Lee); and the Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, St. Louis (Yoon).
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Evidence suggests that the cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical circuitry plays an important role in schizophrenia pathophysiology. Cerebellar contribution from deep cerebellar nuclei to the circuitry has not yet been examined. The authors investigated resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of cerebellar output nuclei with striatal-thalamic-cortical regions in relation to white-matter integrity and regional gray-matter volumes in first-episode psychosis (FEP). Methods: Forty FEP patients and 40 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects (HCs) participated. RSFC between cerebellar nuclei and striatal-thalamic-cortical regions was examined. Diffusion tensor imaging and volumetric scans were examined for possible structural constraints on RSFC. The authors also examined relationships between neuroimaging variables and cognitive and clinical measures. Results: FEP patients, compared with HCs, exhibited decreased RSFC between the left fastigial nucleus and right putamen, which was associated with poor letter fluency performance and lower global assessment of functioning scores. By contrast, patients showed widespread increased accumbens network connectivity in the left nucleus. The authors further observed both hypo- and hyper-RSFC between the cerebellar nuclei and fronto-parietal areas in patients, independent of striatal activity. Finally, the authors found impaired integrity of the left superior cerebellar peduncle and decreased bilateral putamen volume in patients, whereas structural-functional relationships found in HCs were absent in patients. Conclusions: This study provides evidence of disordered RSFC of cerebellar output nuclei to the striatum and neocortex at the early stage of schizophrenia. Furthermore, dysfunctional cerebellar influences on fronto-parietal areas that are independent of striatal dysfunction in patients with FEP were observed. The results suggest that cortico-striatal abnormalities in patients with FEP are produced by abnormal cerebellar influences.
OBJECTIVE: Evidence suggests that the cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical circuitry plays an important role in schizophrenia pathophysiology. Cerebellar contribution from deep cerebellar nuclei to the circuitry has not yet been examined. The authors investigated resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of cerebellar output nuclei with striatal-thalamic-cortical regions in relation to white-matter integrity and regional gray-matter volumes in first-episode psychosis (FEP). Methods: Forty FEP patients and 40 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects (HCs) participated. RSFC between cerebellar nuclei and striatal-thalamic-cortical regions was examined. Diffusion tensor imaging and volumetric scans were examined for possible structural constraints on RSFC. The authors also examined relationships between neuroimaging variables and cognitive and clinical measures. Results: FEP patients, compared with HCs, exhibited decreased RSFC between the left fastigial nucleus and right putamen, which was associated with poor letter fluency performance and lower global assessment of functioning scores. By contrast, patients showed widespread increased accumbens network connectivity in the left nucleus. The authors further observed both hypo- and hyper-RSFC between the cerebellar nuclei and fronto-parietal areas in patients, independent of striatal activity. Finally, the authors found impaired integrity of the left superior cerebellar peduncle and decreased bilateral putamen volume in patients, whereas structural-functional relationships found in HCs were absent in patients. Conclusions: This study provides evidence of disordered RSFC of cerebellar output nuclei to the striatum and neocortex at the early stage of schizophrenia. Furthermore, dysfunctional cerebellar influences on fronto-parietal areas that are independent of striatal dysfunction in patients with FEP were observed. The results suggest that cortico-striatal abnormalities in patients with FEP are produced by abnormal cerebellar influences.
Authors: Mario Stanziano; Nico Golfrè Andreasi; Giuseppe Messina; Sara Rinaldo; Sara Palermo; Mattia Verri; Greta Demichelis; Jean Paul Medina; Francesco Ghielmetti; Salvatore Bonvegna; Anna Nigri; Giulia Frazzetta; Ludovico D'Incerti; Giovanni Tringali; Francesco DiMeco; Roberto Eleopra; Maria Grazia Bruzzone Journal: Front Neurol Date: 2022-01-12 Impact factor: 4.003
Authors: Melissa Hwang; Youkyung S Roh; Jessica Talero; Bruce M Cohen; Justin T Baker; Roscoe O Brady; Dost Öngür; Ann K Shinn Journal: Neuroimage Clin Date: 2021-11-24 Impact factor: 4.891