Jiaxin Zeng¹, Wenjing Zhang¹, Gui Fu², Lu Liu³, Biqiu Tang¹, Na Hu¹, Yuan Xiao¹, Qiyong Gong¹, and Su Lui^1
1West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, ²Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China, ³The First People’s Hospital of Ziyang, Ziyang, China

The unrevealing neuropathology underlying different clinical outcome has blocked effective treatment of schizophrenia. In this study, by prospectively recruited patients at baseline and followed them up for one-year, we have revealed the promising role of disrupted white matter integrity in discriminating good outcome from poor outcome schizophrenia. Further, the baseline white matter integrity in left anterior thalamus radiation is positively correlative with reduction of clinical ratings after one-year in all the patients. These findings indicated the underlying substrates in patients with different clinical outcomes and can serve as the potential imaging characteristic in differentiating these patients before initiating of antipsychotics.

Yibin Xi¹, Fan Guo¹, Longbiao Cui¹, Xiaocheng Wei², Baojuan Li¹, and Hong Yin^1
1The Fourth Military Medical University,Xi’an,China, Xi’an, China, ²MR Research China,GE Healthcare, Beijing, China

Schizophrenia is one complex mental disorder. However the dysregulated cross-network interactions among the SN, CEN and DMN and how they contributed to different symptoms is still not clear. By analyzing network interactions among the SN, CEN and DMN in patients and controls using DCM,as well as the relationship between network dynamics and clinical symptoms, our study provides strong evidence for the dysregulation among SN, CEN and DMN in a triple-network perspective in first-episode schizophrenia. We further proved that the connection between DMN and CEN could be clinically-relevant neurobiological signature of schizophrenia symptoms.
 

Hui Zhang^1,2, Pui Wai Chiu^1,3, Simon S.Y. Lui^4,5, Karen S.Y. Hung⁴, Raymond C.K. Chan^5,6,7, Queenie Chan⁸, P.C. Sham^3,7, Eric F.C. Cheung⁴, and Henry Ka Fung Mak^1,2,3
1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ²Alzheimer's Disease Research Network, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ³State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ⁴Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ⁵Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, ⁶Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, ⁷Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ⁸Philips Healthcare, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

To investigate the major psychopathology of first-episode schizophrenia (SCZ), the triple network model consisting of central executive network (CEN), salience network (SN) and default mode network (DMN) was employed. Group-level independent component analysis and group comparison between schizophrenia patients and healthy subjects within networks were applied. In the results, the SCZ group presented significant hyperconnectivity in bilateral insula within SN and hypoconnectivity in occipital lobe and medial prefrontal cortex within DMN. In addition to that, connectivity in bilateral insula within SN showed significant correlation with PANSS scores.

Naici Liu¹, Wenjing Zhang¹, Chengmin Yang¹, Jiaxin Zeng¹, Rebekka Lencer², and Su Lui^1
1Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, ²University of Münster, Münster, Germany

Previous studies of white matter (WM) had been limited to structural assessment. In this study, by utilizing resting-state fMRI, the BOLD signals in WM and its functional correlations with BOLD signals in grey matter (GM) were assessed between antipsychotic-naive schizophrenia patients and healthy comparisons. The functional correlation coefficient defined as GM-WM functional synchrony were found widespread altered in patients, especially in WM connecting hemispheres, fronto-temporal, cortico-subcortical regions, and in prefrontal, cingulate, visual, temporal cortex. Additionally, age and illness-duration related alternations in functional synchrony shared the same trend. These findings described schizophrenia as a progressive disorder which was characterized by dysconnectivity.

Chengmin Yang¹, Wenjing Zhang¹, Naici Liu¹, Li Yao¹, Jiaxin Zeng¹, and Su Lui^1
1Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

Increasing evidence has suggested white matter (WM) as well raised functional activity in brain and its functional information could be detected by resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). Our study provided new insight into WM functional alterations over the long-term course of schizophrenia with and without the potential effects of antipsychotic medication. Functional changes in the splenium of the corpus callosum (SCC) were found in both treated and untreated patients, which may represent core WM functional changes in schizophrenia.

Chandan Shah¹, Youjin Zhao¹, Na Hu¹, Yuan Xiao¹, Wenjing Zhang¹, Jiaxin Zeng¹, and Lui Su^1
1Radiology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

This project aims at determining specific thalamic nuclei changes in schizophrenia patients with long term illness without the confounding effects of antipsychotics as well as to determine the individual thalamic changes after long term antipsychotics.

Chang-Le Chen¹, Li-Ying Yang¹, Yu-Hung Tung², Yung-Chin Hsu³, Chih‐Min Liu⁴, Tzung‐Jeng Hwang⁴, Hai‐Gwo Hwu⁴, and Wen-Yih Isaac Tseng^1,5
1Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ²Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ³AcroViz Technology Inc., Taipei, Taiwan, ⁴Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ⁵Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

It is unclear how brain regions contribute to the premature aging in schizophrenia and whether different brain age metrics would reveal distinct clinical relevance. Therefore, we developed multiple bias-free brain age metrics based on volumetric and microstructural information to quantify the brain aging of patients with schizophrenia. The results showed that the cortical areas and fiber tracts located in the prefrontal, temporal, and limbic regions manifested dominantly to the premature brain aging compared to the other areas. Also, white matter brain age showed the significant correlation with age of onset, medication dose, and negative symptom, manifesting better clinical sensitivity.

Eyal Lotan¹, Dolores Malaspina², Henry Rusinek¹, and Oded Gonen^1
1NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States, ²Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States

Previous proton MR spectroscopic imaging of the hippocampus distinguished schizophrenia cases from controls by elevated creatine [Cr] and more variable N-acetylaspartate [NAA] and choline [Cho] concentrations. Here we examine these metabolite’s concentrations in 15 cases against their research diagnostic interviews and symptom ratings. Despite modest cohort size we find: (a) elevated [Cho] predicts psychotic; and (b) manic symptoms severity; and (c) lower [NAA] trended with negative symptoms. These findings suggest that microgliosis and demyelination, reflected by reduced [NAA] and elevated [Cho], may be related to active psychotic and manic symptoms, potentially benefiting precision medicine in selection and monitoring schizophrenia treatment.

Marisleydis García^1,2,3, Néstor Muñoz^1,2,3, Carlos Milovic^1,2,3, Luz María Alliende⁴, Bárbara Iruretagoyena⁴, Alfonzo Gonzalez⁵, Julio Acosta Carbonero⁶, Cristián Montalba^2,3, Nicolás Crossley^2,4, Sergio Uribe^2,3, and Cristián Tejos^1,2,3
1Departament Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile, ²Biomedical Imaging Center, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile, ³Millennium Nucleus for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile, ⁴Neurology Department, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile, ⁵Instituto Psiquiátrico Horwitz, Santiago de Chile, Chile, ⁶Tenoke Ltd., Cambridge, United Kingdom

Psychosis has been related with dopamine alterations in deep brain nuclei. Neuromelanin is a by-product of the synthesis of dopamine and it is synthesized via iron-dependent oxidation. Thus, susceptibility might give a window to study the progression of dopamine levels at deep brain nuclei of psychotic patients. We studied a cohort of patients with First Episode of Psychosis (FEP) using QSM at two time points and compared them with healthy controls. We found susceptibility changes in seven subcortical areas at FEP onset. We also found susceptibility changes at the left globus pallidus interna after three months of pharmacological treatment.