title: Neural disruption to theory of mind predicts daily social functioning in individuals at familial high-risk for schizophrenia.
abstract: Theory-of-mind (ToM) ability is foundational for successful social relationships, and dependent on a neurocognitive system, which includes temporoparietal junction and medial prefrontal cortex. Schizophrenia is associated with ToM impairments, and initial studies demonstrate similar, though more subtle deficits, in unaffected first-degree relatives, indicating that ToM deficits are a potential biomarker for the disorder. Importantly, the social consequences of ToM deficits could create an additional vulnerability factor for individuals at familial high risk (FHR). However, behavioral studies of ToM are inconsistent and virtually nothing is known about the neural basis of ToM in FHR or the relationship between ToM and social functioning. Here, FHR and non-FHR control participants underwent functional MRI scanning while reasoning about a story character's thoughts, emotions or physical appearance. Afterwards, participants completed a 28-day online 'daily-diary' questionnaire in which they reported daily social interactions and degree of ToM reasoning. FHR participants demonstrated less neural activity in bilateral temporoparietal junction when reasoning about thoughts and emotions. Moreover, across all participants, the degree of neural activity during ToM reasoning predicted several aspects of daily social behavior. Results suggest that vulnerability for schizophrenia is associated with neurocognitive deficits in ToM and the degree of deficit is related to day-to-day social functioning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA, Boston VA Medical Center, Brockton, MA 02301, USA and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dodell-Feder
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA, Boston VA Medical Center, Brockton, MA 02301, USA and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA, Boston VA Medical Center, Brockton, MA 02301, USA and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Lynn E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: DeLisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA, Boston VA Medical Center, Brockton, MA 02301, USA and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA chooker@wjh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Christine I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Hooker
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007600:Judgment; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: fMRI; familial high risk; schizophrenia; social functioning; theory of mind