Poster No:
2484
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Hui-Yun Hsu1, Albert Yang1,2,3,4
Institutions:
1Institute of Brain Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, 2Digital Medicine and Smart Healthcare Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, 3Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, 4Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
First Author:
Hui-Yun Hsu
Institute of Brain Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Taipei, Taiwan
Co-Author:
Albert Yang
Institute of Brain Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University|Digital Medicine and Smart Healthcare Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University|Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital|Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Taipei, Taiwan|Taipei, Taiwan|Taipei, Taiwan|Taipei, Taiwan
Introduction:
Attention dysfunction represents one of the primary cognitive impairments in individuals with schizophrenia, leading to a significant impact on their long-term daily activities. Previous studies have highlighted that various functional and structural dysconnections in schizophrenia may contribute to cognitive symptoms. While numerous studies have explored cognitive function using functional magnetic resonance imaging and T1-weighted images, limited research has investigated the relationship between diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) features and attention function. By analyzing the features of white matter fiber tracts, several studies have suggested the aberrant subcortical microstructure could be the underlying mechanism of symptoms in schizophrenia. Therefore, our aim is to identify the correlation between white matter microstructure and abnormality of attention performance in individuals with schizophrenia.
Methods:
Our study included 167 individuals with schizophrenia (age: 43.56 ± 12.24; 54.5% in females) and 167 healthy controls (age: 41.65 ± 10.95; 56.9% in females) from the Taiwan Aging and Mental Illness cohort. First, fractional anisotropy (FA) maps were constructed from DTI data for each participant. Second, the voxel-wise general linear model (GLM) was used to identify the FA maps difference between schizophrenia and healthy controls (cluster level > 100 voxels; PFWE < 0.001). The significant clusters were further defined into 48 white matter fiber tracts based on JHU-ICBM-labels-1mm atlas. The voxel numbers out of each tract's whole voxels over 50% was regarded as a meaningful difference. Third, we used the Mini-mental state examination (MMSE), digit span task and Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST) to evaluate multiple domains of attention function in the participants. Finally, to explore the group interaction between the FA maps and attention performance, the GLM with age, sex, and education as covariates was used in individuals with schizophrenia and healthy controls (cluster level > 100 voxels; PFWE < 0.001).
Results:
We found 47 white matter tracts exhibited lower FA in individuals with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls, especially in the body of corpus callosum, fornix, right superior cerebellar peduncle, right sagittal stratum, right superior fronto-occipital fasciculus, and right uncinate fasciculus. In comparison to healthy controls, the overall cognitive assessments in schizophrenia performed worser. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between the digit span task and two sub-indices of WCST (nonperseverative error, NPE; failure to maintain set, FMS), as well as FA maps. Individuals with schizophrenia presented decreased FA values with poorer attention performance. However, no significant relationship between MMSE and white matter microstructure was observed between the two groups. In our present findings, the regions that were significantly involved in auditory and visual attention dysfunction of schizophrenia included the right retrolenticular part of internal capsule, bilateral superior corona radiata, and right sagittal stratum.
Conclusions:
We dedicated to exploring the structural mechanism of attention dysfunction of individuals with schizophrenia within the scope of white matter features. In conclusion, voxel-wise fractional anisotropy analysis could reflect distinct audio-visual attention patterns and aberrant white matter microstructure in individuals with schizophrenia. Additionally, these findings could reveal the abnormal attention function in schizophrenia, aligning with the neuropathological dysconnection hypothesis in white matter microstructure.
Disorders of the Nervous System:
Psychiatric (eg. Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia)
Modeling and Analysis Methods:
Diffusion MRI Modeling and Analysis 2
Neuroanatomy, Physiology, Metabolism and Neurotransmission:
Subcortical Structures
White Matter Anatomy, Fiber Pathways and Connectivity
Perception, Attention and Motor Behavior:
Perception and Attention Other 1
Keywords:
Cognition
Psychiatric Disorders
Sub-Cortical
WHITE MATTER IMAGING - DTI, HARDI, DSI, ETC
Other - Schizophrenia, Attention
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
Provide references using author date format
Friston, K. (2016), 'The dysconnection hypothesis (2016)', Schizophrenia research, vol. 176, no. 2-3, pp. 83-94
Hegde, R.R. (2020), 'Association of white matter microstructure and extracellular free-water with cognitive performance in the early course of schizophrenia', Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, vol. 305, 111159