Auditory Oddball Deficits in Schizophrenia: An Independent Component Analysis of the fMRI Multisite Function BIRN Study
2 The Mind Research Network, 1101 Yale Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131
3 Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
4 Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697
5 Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92161
6 Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710
7 Neuroimaging Division, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129
8 Department of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131
9 Department of Radiology, Brigham Woman's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
10 Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242
11 Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, LA 90095
12 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed; The Mind Research Network Institute, Albuquerque, NM 87131; tel: 646-675-9193, e-mail: dkim{at}mrn.org.
Deficits in the connectivity between brain regions have been suggested to play a major role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. A functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis of schizophrenia was implemented using independent component analysis (ICA) to identify multiple temporally cohesive, spatially distributed regions of brain activity that represent functionally connected networks. We hypothesized that functional connectivity differences would be seen in auditory networks comprised of regions such as superior temporal gyrus as well as executive networks that consisted of frontal-parietal areas. Eight networks were found to be implicated in schizophrenia during the auditory oddball paradigm. These included a bilateral temporal network containing the superior and middle temporal gyrus; a default-mode network comprised of the posterior cingulate, precuneus, and middle frontal gyrus; and multiple dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex networks that constituted various levels of between-group differences. Highly task-related sensory networks were also found. These results indicate that patients with schizophrenia show functional connectivity differences in networks related to auditory processing, executive control, and baseline functional activity. Overall, these findings support the idea that the cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia are widespread and that a functional connectivity approach can help elucidate the neural correlates of this disorder.
Keywords: fMRI / DLPFC / schizophrenia / default-mode / independent component analysis / auditory oddball