title: Dynamic Connectivity between Brain Networks Supports Working Memory: Relationships to Dopamine Release and Schizophrenia.
abstract: Connectivity between brain networks may adapt flexibly to cognitive demand, a process that could underlie adaptive behaviors and cognitive deficits, such as those observed in neuropsychiatric conditions like schizophrenia. Dopamine signaling is critical for working memory but its influence on internetwork connectivity is relatively unknown. We addressed these questions in healthy humans using functional magnetic resonance imaging (during ann-back working-memory task) and positron emission tomography using the radiotracer [(11)C]FLB457 before and after amphetamine to measure the capacity for dopamine release in extrastriatal brain regions. Brain networks were defined by spatial independent component analysis (ICA) and working-memory-load-dependent connectivity between task-relevant pairs of networks was determined via a modified psychophysiological interaction analysis. For most pairs of task-relevant networks, connectivity significantly changed as a function of working-memory load. Moreover, load-dependent changes in connectivity between left and right frontoparietal networks (Δ connectivity lFPN-rFPN) predicted interindividual differences in task performance more accurately than other fMRI and PET imaging measures. Δ Connectivity lFPN-rFPN was not related to cortical dopamine release capacity. A second study in unmedicated patients with schizophrenia showed no abnormalities in load-dependent connectivity but showed a weaker relationship between Δ connectivity lFPN-rFPN and working memory performance in patients compared with matched healthy individuals. Poor working memory performance in patients was, in contrast, related to deficient cortical dopamine release. Our findings indicate that interactions between brain networks dynamically adapt to fluctuating environmental demands. These dynamic adaptations underlie successful working memory performance in healthy individuals and are not well predicted by amphetamine-induced dopamine release capacity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is unclear how communication between brain networks responds to changing environmental demands during complex cognitive processes. Also, unknown in regard to these network dynamics is the role of neuromodulators, such as dopamine, and whether their dysregulation could underlie cognitive deficits in neuropsychiatric illness. We found that connectivity between brain networks changes with working-memory load and greater increases predict better working memory performance; however, it was not related to capacity for dopamine release in the cortex. Patients with schizophrenia did show dynamic internetwork connectivity; however, this was more weakly associated with successful performance in patients compared with healthy individuals. Our findings indicate that dynamic interactions between brain networks may support the type of flexible adaptations essential to goal-directed behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York 10032 HorgaG@nyspi.columbia.edu Cassidy@nyspi.columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Clifford M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cassidy
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York 10032.
authors.forename: Jared X
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2442-2008
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Van Snellenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York 10032.
authors.forename: Caridad
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1351-6407
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benavides
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York 10032.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slifstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York 10032.
authors.forename: Zhishun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York 10032.
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York 10032.
authors.forename: Anissa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abi-Dargham
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York 10032 HorgaG@nyspi.columbia.edu Cassidy@nyspi.columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Horga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012457:Salicylamides; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
chemical_list: D011759:Pyrrolidines; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012457:Salicylamides; C065065:FLB 457; D004298:Dopamine
keywords: dopamine; multimodal imaging; network functional connectivity; positron emission tomography; schizophrenia; working memory