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Discrete Alterations of Brain Network Structural Covariance in Individuals at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis

Whole-brain structural covariance analyses revealed subtle changes of connectivity of the default-mode, executive control, salience, motor, and auditory networks in UHR individuals for psychosis

Authors:
Heinze K, Reniers RLEP, Nelson B, Yung AR, Lin A, Harrison BJ, et al.

Authors notes:
Biological Psychiatry. 2014;Online:1-8

Keywords:
Default-mode network, Network-level, Psychosis, Structural covariance, Transition, Ultra-high risk

Abstract:
Investigation of aberrant large-scale brain networks offers novel insight into the role these networks play in diverse psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.

Although studies report altered functional brain connectivity in participants at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis, it is unclear whether these alterations extend to structural brain networks.

Significantly reduced structural covariance was observed in the UHR sample compared with the HC sample for the default-mode network, and increased covariance was observed for the motor and executive control networks.

When the UHR participants who transitioned to psychosis were compared with the UHR participants who did not, aberrant structural covariance was observed in the salience, executive control, auditory, and motor networks.

Whole-brain structural covariance analyses revealed subtle changes of connectivity of the default-mode, executive control, salience, motor, and auditory networks in UHR individuals for psychosis.

Although we found significant differences, these are small changes and tend to reflect largely intact structural networks.