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CEREBELLAR-THALAMO-CORTICAL CONNECTIVITY AND WORKING MEMORY IN PSYCHOSIS RISK STATES
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Date
2024-08
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Psychology
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https://doi.org/10.34944/s0mz-bb67
Abstract
Working memory (WM) impairment is widespread in individuals with psychotic disorders. Notably, verbal WM difficulties are present prior to the onset of psychosis and are elevated in individuals who later convert from an at-risk state. Recently, thalamocortical hypoconnectivity with prefrontal and cerebellar areas has been found in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and is associated with poorer verbal WM performance; however, these relationships have yet to be evaluated in the clinical high risk (CHR) period for psychosis. Therefore, we examined the relationship between performance on an N-back task and resting state functional connectivity between the thalamus and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, and the cerebellum in individuals at CHR (n=22) and non-CHR controls (n=60). Additionally, given recent psychosis spectrum research suggesting an association of positive psychotic symptoms and disrupted activity within this circuit, we also explored relationships with attenuated psychotic symptoms measured using the Structured Interview for Psychosis-risk Syndromes. CHR status was associated with poorer WM performance, although thalamocortical connectivity did not predict performance as hypothesized. Across the sample, more positive psychotic symptoms were associated with thalamic hypoconnectivity with the DLPFC and cerebellum. Experiences of perceptual aberrations or hallucinatory experiences and symptoms of disorganized communication were associated with thalamic hypoconnectivity with the DLPFC and VLPFC, respectively. This is the first study to examine specific attenuated psychotic symptoms and thalamocortical connectivity and underscores the importance of the thalamus and cerebellum in the development of psychosis alongside the prefrontal cortex, which is more commonly researched. Future larger samples may be better suited to examine the hypothesized relationship between thalamocortical connectivity and verbal WM. Understanding the neural underpinnings of WM and positive symptoms in the earliest phases of psychosis is imperative towards developing more effective treatments and improving risk prediction.
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