Title | Cortical thinning in temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) in non-affective first-episode of psychosis patients with persistent negative symptoms. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2014 |
Authors | Bodnar M [1], Hovington CL [2], Buchy L [3], Malla AK [4], Joober R [5], Lepage M [6] |
Journal | PLoS One |
Volume | 9 |
Issue | 6 |
Pagination | e101372 |
Date Published | 2014 |
ISSN | 1932-6203 |
Abstract | BACKGROUND: Negative symptoms represent an unmet therapeutic need in many patients with schizophrenia. In an extension to our previous voxel-based morphometry findings, we employed a more specific, vertex-based approach to explore cortical thinning in relation to persistent negative symptoms (PNS) in non-affective first-episode of psychosis (FEP) patients to advance our understanding of the pathophysiology of primary negative symptoms.METHODS: This study included 62 non-affective FEP patients and 60 non-clinical controls; 16 patients were identified with PNS (i.e., at least 1 primary negative symptom at moderate or greater severity sustained for at least 6 consecutive months). Using cortical thickness analyses, we explored for differences between PNS and non-PNS patients as well as between each patient group and healthy controls; cut-off threshold was set at p<0.01, corrected for multiple comparisons.RESULTS: A thinner cortex prominently in the right superior temporal gyrus extending into the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), right parahippocampal gyrus, and left orbital frontal gyrus was identified in PNS patients vs. non-PNS patients. Compared with healthy controls, PNS patients showed a thinner cortex prominently in the right superior temporal gyrus, right parahippocampal gyrus, and right cingulate; non-PNS patients showed a thinner cortex prominently in the parahippocampal gyrus bi-laterally.CONCLUSION: Cortical thinning in the early stages of non-affective psychosis is present in the frontal and temporo-parietal regions in patients with PNS. With these brain regions strongly related to social cognitive functioning, our finding suggests a potential link between primary negative symptoms and social cognitive deficits through common brain etiologies. |
DOI | 10.1371/journal.pone.0101372 [7] |
Alternate Journal | PLoS ONE |
PubMed ID | 24979583 [8] |
PubMed Central ID | PMC4076331 |
Grant List | 68961 / / Canadian Institutes of Health Research / Canada |