Reduced DLPFC-Caudate Connectivity Impairs Reward Representation Maintenance in Schizophrenia
Poster No:
493
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Han-shan Jiang1, Si-lu Chen2, Zheng Xia1, Ding-ding Hu1, Lan Zhou1, Chao Yan1
Institutions:
1School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, 2Changning Mental Health Center, Shanghai, China
First Author:
Han-shan Jiang
School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University
Shanghai, China
School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University
Shanghai, China
Co-Author(s):
Ding-ding Hu
School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University
Shanghai, China
School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University
Shanghai, China
Introduction:
Anticipatory anhedonia represents a significant deficit observed among schizophrenia(SCZ) patients and individuals with schizotypal traits (SPT)(Cohen & Minor, 2010; Strauss et al., 2012; Yan et al., 2019). Nonetheless, the underlying cognitive mechanisms and relevant neural correlates of this deficit remain unclear. According to the Integrative Model of Pleasure, reward representation maintenance may be a key process in forming anticipatory pleasure(Kring & Barch, 2014). This study aimed to examine the relationship between representation maintenance and anticipatory pleasure, with a focus on the underlying neural mechanisms. Specifically, we investigated the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and its connectivity with striatal regions involved in reward representation maintenance and anticipation.
Methods:
A total of 25 SCZ patients (10 males, mean age = 19.96 years, SD = 7.11), 27 matched individuals with SPT (10 males, mean age = 19.30 years, SD = 2.07), and 30 healthy controls (17 males, mean age = 20.43 years, SD = 2.49) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during the Reward Representation Maintenance Task(RRMT), their mismatch rate(MR) in the maintenance phase and the number of button press(NBP) in the anticipation phase were recorded. Neural activity differences across groups were analyzed using a 2×2 flexible factorial design, and a Psycho-Physiological Interaction (PPI) analysis was conducted to explore task-related brain connectivity during the maintenance phase. Task-related activation maps were thresholded at cluster-level p<.05, with Family-Wise Error (FWE) correction, and voxel threshold uncorrected, p<.001. The PPI maps were thresholded at a peak-level uncorrected p-value of <.005. Furthermore, correlations between brain function, behavioral performance, and clinical symptoms were analyzed.
Results:
Behavioral findings revealed that(see Figure 1a) SCZ patients exhibited higher MR, while the SPT performance comparable to healthy controls (HC) . Both the SCZ (p<.001) and SPT (p=.004) demonstrated a reduction in NBR when maintaining high-value rewards (see Figure 1b ) . Notably, SCZ patients with more severe negative symptoms showed higher MR (r=.342, p=.023) and fewer NBR(r=-.371, p=.013). fMRI analyses during the anticipation phase (see Figure 2a & Figure 2b) revealed reduced activation in the bilateral superior temporal gyrus in SCZ patients. Additionally, SCZ patients exhibited lower activation in the insula, postcentral gyrus, and supplementary motor area compared to SPT and HC groups when anticipating high-value rewards, while showing the opposite pattern for low-value rewards. During the maintenance phase, SCZ patients exhibited hypoactivity in the middle occipital gyrus(see Figure 2c ), and striatum enhanced activation with increasing reward magnitude (see Figure 2d ). Moreover, the right DLPFC (BA9) and the left precentral gyrus (extending to the DLPFC, BA9) demonstrated increased activity in accordance with rising maintenance loads(see Figure 2e). Further PPI analysis revealed that connectivity between the left DLPFC and left caudate decreased in SCZ patients when the maintenance load increased(see Figure 2f ), and higher MR was associated with the decreased connectivity (r=-.242, p=.032). Moreover, the SPT with more severe social anhedonia showed weaker connectivity between the left DLPFC and left caudate (r=-.405, p=.04).
·Group differences in behavior performance during the RRMT task
·fMRI results: cortical activation during the RRMT task and functional connectivity in the maintenance phase
Conclusions:
Our findings highlight the critical role of the DLPFC in representation maintenance, suggesting that impairments in this process among SCZ patients may be linked to abnormal DLPFC-caudate connectivity, thereby contributing to diminished goal-directed behaviors. Furthermore, the results indicate an increased susceptibility to social anhedonia in schizophrenia spectrum.
Disorders of the Nervous System:
Psychiatric (eg. Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia) 1
Emotion, Motivation and Social Neuroscience:
Emotion and Motivation Other
Modeling and Analysis Methods:
Activation (eg. BOLD task-fMRI)
Connectivity (eg. functional, effective, structural) 2
Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:
BOLD fMRI
Keywords:
Cognition
Emotions
FUNCTIONAL MRI
Psychiatric Disorders
Schizophrenia
Other - Anticipation anhedonhia; Reward representation maintenance; Functional connectivity; The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; Striatum
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
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2 Kring, A. M., & Barch, D. M. (2014). The motivation and pleasure dimension of negative symptoms: Neural substrates and behavioral outputs. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 24(5), 725-736.
3 Strauss, G. P., Sandt, A. R., Catalano, L. T., & Allen, D. N. (2012). Negative symptoms and depression predict lower psychological well-being in individuals with schizophrenia. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 53(8), 1137-1144.
4 Yan, C., Lui, S. S. Y., Zou, L.-q., Wang, C.-y., Zhou, F.-c., Cheung, E. F. C., Shum, D. H. K., & Chan, R. C. K. (2019). Anticipatory pleasure for future rewards is attenuated in patients with schizophrenia but not in individuals with schizotypal traits. Schizophrenia Research, 206, 118-126.