The Differences In The Aberrant Intra-network Functional Connectivity Of The Resting-state Networks Between First-episode Schizophrenia And Multi-episode Schizophrenia In The Acute Phase

Objective:To investigate the differences in the aberrant intra-network functional connectivity(FC)of intrinsic networks between patients with First-episode schizophrenia(FES)and Multi-episode schizophrenia(MES)in the acute phase.Methods:Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-f MRI)was obtained in49 patients with FES,100 patients with MES,and 133 HC.Symptom severity was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS).The characteristics of cognitive impairment of all subjects were measured by the Digit Symbol Test(DST)and Verbal Fluency Test(VFT).f MRI data acquisition was performed on a GE Signa HD-X 3.0T MRI.Preprocessing of the MRI data was conducted using a DPARSFA 4.4 toolbox that runs with the Matlab2013 b software.Group spatial ICA was performed using the GIFT software to extract resting-state network(including sensorimotor network(SMN),medial visual network(m VN),lateral visual network(l VN),auditory network(AN),salience network(SN),left frontoparietal network(l FPN),right frontoparietal network(r FPN),dorsal attention network(d AN),anterior default network(a DMN)and posterior default network(p DMN).For each component of all subjects,each group to create a brain network mask by one-sample t-test.ANOVA was then applied to compare the intra-network functional connectivity(FC)among the three groups.Correlation between the significant differences of intra-network FC and PANSS score,cognitive function in the FES group,and MES group were evaluated by correlation analysis.Results:1.Both the FES and MES group showed significant decreased DST and VFT scores compared with that in the HC group(P <0.05),and there was no significant difference in the degree of decreased between FES and MES group(P >0.05).2.Compared with the HC group,both the FES and MES group performed decreased intra-network FC within SMN and d AN.The MES group exhibited more significantly reduced intra-network FC in those brain networks than the FES group.When compared with HC and FES groups,the MES group showed reduced functional connections within l VN,AN,and p DMN.3.In the FES group,the FC values of the right precentral gyrus(r Pr G)within SMN was positive correlated with CPZ(r=0.415,p =0.003).The FC strength of right middle frontal gyrus(r MFG)within d AN was negatively correlated with the DST score(r=-0.478,p =0.001).In the MES group,the FC of the left postcentral gyrus(l Po G)within SMN was positively correlated with general psychopathology scale score(r=0.218,p =0.029).There was a positive correlation between the positive symptom score and the FC values of the right superior temporal gyrus(r STG)within AN(r=0.203,p =0.043).The intra-network FC of p DMN's right inferior parietal lobule(r IPL)was negative correlated with CPZ(r=-0.237,p =0.017).the FC values of right middle frontal gyrus(r MFG)within d AN were negatively correlated with the negative symptom score(r=-0.233 p =0.019).Conclusion:1.Both patients with FES and MES have cognitive impairments.There was no significant difference in the cognitive impairment between FES and MES patients.2.Both FES and MES patients exhibited aberrant intra-network FC in intrinsic networks.Moreover,MES patients showed more significant and extensive abnormal intra-network FC in brain networks than FES patients.