Cortico-Striatal White Matter Dysconnectivity Across Phases of Psychosis

Poster No:

492 

Submission Type:

Abstract Submission 

Authors:

Hyungyou Park1, Minah Kim2, Kang Ik Cho3, Minji Ha4, Moonyoung Jang2, Sunghyun Park2, Jun Soo Kwon4

Institutions:

1Seoul National University, Seoul, Seoul, 2Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Seoul, 3Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard, Boston, MA, 4Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Seoul

First Author:

Hyungyou Park  
Seoul National University
Seoul, Seoul

Co-Author(s):

Minah Kim  
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital
Seoul, Seoul
Kang Ik Cho  
Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard
Boston, MA
Minji Ha  
Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences
Seoul, Seoul
Moonyoung Jang  
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital
Seoul, Seoul
Sunghyun Park  
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital
Seoul, Seoul
Jun Soo Kwon  
Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences
Seoul, Seoul

Introduction:

Dysfunction of the striatum and its upstream cortex is central to the pathophysiology of psychosis in its clinical stages. Cortical projections, either segregated or integrated, regulate striatal functions; however, the anatomical disruptions of cortico-striatal connections in psychosis remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to elucidate alterations in white matter (WM) connectivity between the cerebral cortices and the striatum and their association with symptomatology in different phases of psychosis.

Methods:

Datasets were collected from 277 healthy controls (HCs), 162 participants at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR), 132 patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP), and 173 patients with chronic schizophrenia (CSZ). All participants underwent T1 and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) scans at four sites using five different acquisition parameter sets. Retrospective harmonization was performed on all DWI data to minimize site-specific variation, and probabilistic tractography was then used to examine cortico-striatal WM connectivity. Connectivity values showing significant group differences were subjected to regression analysis to demonstrate their associations with symptom severity.

Results:

Reduced striatal WM connectivity with the temporal cortex was significantly presented in FEP patients compared to other groups. In CSZ patients, connectivity of executive (dorsal frontal) and occipital cortices was significantly diminished relative to HCs and CHR individuals. Furthermore, decreased executive connectivity was negatively associated with the severity of both positive and negative symptoms in CSZ patients.

Conclusions:

This study highlights the disrupted striatal WM connectivity in the executive (dorsal) circuit as a significant pathological and symptomatic underpinning in CSZ, along with the involvement of temporal (ventral) connectivity in the early stage of psychosis. Demonstrating specific WM dysconnectivity across phases of psychosis, these findings provide the anatomical basis of cortico-striatal dysfunctions, particularly integration of executive and sensory inputs, throughout the disease progression.

Disorders of the Nervous System:

Psychiatric (eg. Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia) 1

Modeling and Analysis Methods:

Connectivity (eg. functional, effective, structural)
Diffusion MRI Modeling and Analysis

Neuroanatomy, Physiology, Metabolism and Neurotransmission:

White Matter Anatomy, Fiber Pathways and Connectivity 2

Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:

Diffusion MRI

Keywords:

Basal Ganglia
Psychiatric
Psychiatric Disorders
Schizophrenia
Tractography
White Matter
WHITE MATTER IMAGING - DTI, HARDI, DSI, ETC

1|2Indicates the priority used for review

Provide references using author date format

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Cetin Karayumak S, Bouix S, Ning L, et al. Retrospective harmonization of multi-site diffusion MRI data acquired with different acquisition parameters. Neuroimage 2019; 184: 180-200.