title: Localization of cerebral functional deficits in treatment-naive, first-episode schizophrenia using resting-state fMRI.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations (LFF) in the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signal have been shown to reflect cerebral spontaneous neural activity, and the present study attempts to explore the functional changes in the regional brain in patients with schizophrenia using the amplitude of the BOLD signals.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 66 treatment-naïve, first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients and 66 normal age- and sex-matched controls were recruited. Resting-state fMRIs were obtained using a gradient-echo echo-planar imaging sequence. The amplitude of LFF (ALFF) was calculated using REST software. Voxel-based analysis of the ALFF maps between control and patient groups was performed with twos-sample t-tests using SPM2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the controls, the FES group showed significantly decreased ALFF in the medial prefrontal lobe (MPFC) and significant increases in the ALFF in the left and right putamen. Significant positive correlations were observed between ALFF values in the bilateral putamen in both the patient and control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alterations of the ALFF in the MPFC and putamen in FES observed in the present study suggest that the functional abnormalities of those areas are at an early stage of the disease.
authors: Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, West China School of Medicine, Chengdu, 610041, China.
authors: Xiao-Qi
authors: XQ
authors: Huang
authors: Su
authors: S
authors: Lui
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Deng
authors: Raymond C K
authors: RC
authors: Chan
authors: Qi-Zhu
authors: QZ
authors: Wu
authors: Li-Jun
authors: LJ
authors: Jiang
authors: Jun-Ran
authors: JR
authors: Zhang
authors: Zhi-Yun
authors: ZY
authors: Jia
authors: Xiu-Li
authors: XL
authors: Li
authors: Fei
authors: F
authors: Li
authors: Long
authors: L
authors: Chen
authors: Tao
authors: T
authors: Li
authors: Qi-Yong
authors: QY
authors: Gong
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D012146:Rest; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult