title: Fronto-temporal connectivity predicts cognitive empathy deficits and experiential negative symptoms in schizophrenia.
abstract: Impaired cognitive empathy is a core social cognitive deficit in schizophrenia associated with negative symptoms and social functioning. Cognitive empathy and negative symptoms have also been linked to medial prefrontal and temporal brain networks. While shared behavioral and neural underpinnings are suspected for cognitive empathy and negative symptoms, research is needed to test these hypotheses. In two studies, we evaluated whether resting-state functional connectivity between data-driven networks, or components (referred to as, inter-component connectivity), predicted cognitive empathy and experiential and expressive negative symptoms in schizophrenia subjects. Study 1: We examined associations between cognitive empathy and medial prefrontal and temporal inter-component connectivity at rest using a group-matched schizophrenia and control sample. We then assessed whether inter-component connectivity metrics associated with cognitive empathy were also related to negative symptoms. Study 2: We sought to replicate the connectivity-symptom associations observed in Study 1 using an independent schizophrenia sample. Study 1 results revealed that while the groups did not differ in average inter-component connectivity, a medial-fronto-temporal metric and an orbito-fronto-temporal metric were related to cognitive empathy. Moreover, the medial-fronto-temporal metric was associated with experiential negative symptoms in both schizophrenia samples. These findings support recent models that link social cognition and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1111-1124, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors: Samantha V
authors: SV
authors: Abram
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors: Krista M
authors: KM
authors: Wisner
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 710 North Lakeshore Drive, Chicago, Illinois.
authors: Jaclyn M
authors: JM
authors: Fox
authors: Department of Psychology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.|Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.|Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors: Deanna M
authors: DM
authors: Barch
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 710 North Lakeshore Drive, Chicago, Illinois.
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 710 North Lakeshore Drive, Chicago, Illinois.
authors: John G
authors: JG
authors: Csernansky
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, Minnesota.|Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors: Angus W
authors: AW
authors: MacDonald
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 710 North Lakeshore Drive, Chicago, Illinois.
authors: Matthew J
authors: MJ
authors: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D004645:Empathy / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: alogia; anhedonia; apathy; avolition; mentalizing; psychosis; resting-state fMRI