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Resting-state functional brain networks in first-episode psychosis: A 12-month follow-up study
Eleni P Ganella Caio Seguin Christos Pantelis Sarah Whittle Bernhard T Baune James Olver G Paul Amminger Patrick D. McGorry Vanessa L. Cropley Andrew Zalesky
Eleni P Ganella
Caio Seguin
Christos Pantelis
Sarah Whittle
Bernhard T Baune
James Olver
G Paul Amminger
Patrick D. McGorry
Vanessa L. Cropley
Andrew Zalesky
Abstract
Introduction:
Schizophrenia is increasingly conceived as a disorder of brain network connectivity and organization. However, reports of network abnormalities during the early illness stage of psychosis are mixed. This study adopted a data-driven whole-brain approach to investigate functional connectivity and network architecture in a first-episode psychosis cohort relative to healthy controls and whether functional network properties changed abnormally over a 12-month period in first-episode psychosis.
Methods:
Resting-state functional connectivity was performed at two time points. At baseline, 29 first-episode psychosis individuals and 30 healthy controls were assessed, and at 12 months, 14 first-episode psychosis individuals and 20 healthy controls completed follow-up. Whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity networks were mapped for each individual and analyzed using graph theory to investigate whether network abnormalities associated with first-episode psychosis were evident and whether functional network properties changed abnormally over 12 months relative to controls.
Results:
This study found no evidence of abnormal resting-state functional connectivity or topology in first-episode psychosis individuals relative to healthy controls at baseline or at 12-months follow-up. Furthermore, longitudinal changes in network properties over a 12-month period did not significantly differ between first-episode psychosis individuals and healthy control. Network measures did not significantly correlate with symptomatology, duration of illness or antipsychotic medication.
Conclusions:
This is the first study to show unaffected resting-state functional connectivity and topology in the early psychosis stage of illness. In light of previous literature, this suggests that a subgroup of first-episode psychosis individuals who have a neurotypical resting-state functional connectivity and topology may exist. Our preliminary longitudinal analyses indicate that there also does not appear to be deterioration in these network properties over a 12-month period. Future research in a larger sample is necessary to confirm our longitudinal findings.
Keywords
resting state, first episode of psychosis, functional connectivity, graph theory
Date
2018
Type
Journal article
Journal
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
Book
Volume
52
Issue
9
Page Range
864-875
Article Number
ACU Department
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Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled