Dataset Information

White Matter Measures and Cognition in Schizophrenia.

ABSTRACT: White matter (WM) abnormalities are commonly reported in schizophrenia but whether these arise from the axon or myelin compartments or both is not known. In addition, the relationship between WM abnormalities and cognitive function is not fully explored in this condition. We recruited 39 individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 37 healthy comparison subjects. All participants underwent MRI scanning at 4 Tesla to collect data in the prefrontal white matter on magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and diffusion tensor spectroscopy (DTS) which provide information on myelin and axon compartments, respectively. We also collected Matrics Composite Cognitive Battery (MCCB) and Stroop cognitive data. We found an elevated N-acetylaspartate (NAA) apparent diffusion coefficient in schizophrenia in this cohort as in our previous work; we also observed poorer performance on both the MCCB composite and the Stroop in schizophrenia patients compared to controls. The MTR measure was correlated with the MCCB composite (r = 0.363, p = 0.032) and Stroop scores (r = 0.387, p = 0.029) in healthy individuals but not in schizophrenia. Since this is the first exploration of the relationship between these WM and cognitive measures, we consider our analyses exploratory and did not adjust for multiple comparisons; the findings are not statistically significant if adjusted for multiple comparisons. These findings indicate that WM integrity is associated with cognitive function in healthy individuals but this relationship breaks down in patients with schizophrenia.

SUBMITTER: Erkol C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7378969 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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White Matter Measures and Cognition in Schizophrenia.

Erkol Cemre C Cohen Talia T Chouinard Virginie-Anne VA Lewandowski Kathryn Eve KE Du Fei F Öngür Dost D

Frontiers in psychiatry 20200710

White matter (WM) abnormalities are commonly reported in schizophrenia but whether these arise from the axon or myelin compartments or both is not known. In addition, the relationship between WM abnormalities and cognitive function is not fully explored in this condition. We recruited 39 individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 37 healthy comparison subjects. All participants underwent MRI scanning at 4 Tesla to collect data in the prefrontal white matter on magnetization transfer r ...[more]

PMID: 32765308

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Project description:ObjectiveFailure of antipsychotic medications to resolve symptoms in patients with schizophrenia creates a clinical challenge that is known as treatment resistance. The causes of treatment resistance are unknown, but it is associated with earlier age at onset and more severe cognitive deficits. The authors tested the hypothesis that white matter deficits that are involved in both neurodevelopment and severity of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia are associated with a higher risk of treatment resistance.MethodsThe study sample (N=122; mean age, 38.2 years) included schizophrenia patients at treatment initiation (N=45), patients whose symptoms were treatment responsive (N=40), and patients whose symptoms were treatment resistant (N=37), as well as healthy control subjects (N=78; mean age, 39.2 years). White matter regional vulnerability index (RVI) was tested as a predictor of treatment resistance and cognitive deficits. Higher RVI is indicative of better agreement between diffusion tensor imaging fractional anisotropy across the brain in an individual and the pattern identified by the largest-to-date meta-analysis of white matter deficits in schizophrenia.ResultsPatients with treatment-resistant symptoms showed the highest white matter RVI (mean=0.38 [SD=0.2]), which was significantly higher than the RVI among patients with treatment-responsive symptoms (mean=0.30 [SD=0.02]). At the onset of treatment, schizophrenia patients showed significantly higher RVI than healthy control subjects (mean=0.18 [SD=0.03] and mean=0.13 [SD=0.02], respectively). RVIs were significantly correlated with performance on processing speed and negative symptoms.ConclusionsSchizophrenia affects white matter microstructure in specific regional patterns. Susceptibility to white matter regional deficits is associated with an increased likelihood of treatment resistance. Developments to overcome schizophrenia treatment resistance should consider white matter as an important target.

Dataset Information

White Matter Measures and Cognition in Schizophrenia.

Publications

White Matter Measures and Cognition in Schizophrenia.

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