title: Further evidence of alerted default network connectivity and association with theory of mind ability in schizophrenia.
abstract: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has repeatedly shown evidence of altered functional connectivity of large-scale networks in schizophrenia. The relationship between these connectivity changes and behaviour (e.g. symptoms, neuropsychological performance) remains unclear.
  
  
  
  Functional connectivity in 27 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, and 25 age and gender matched healthy controls was examined using rs-fMRI. Based on seed regions from previous studies, we examined functional connectivity of the default, cognitive control, affective and attention networks. Effects of symptom severity and theory of mind performance on functional connectivity were also examined.
  
  
  
  Patients showed increased connectivity between key nodes of the default network including the precuneus and medial prefrontal cortex compared to controls (p<0.01, FWE-corrected). Increasing positive symptoms and increasing theory of mind performance were both associated with altered connectivity of default regions within the patient group (p<0.01, FWE-corrected).
  
  
  
  This study confirms previous findings of default hyper-connectivity in schizophrenia spectrum patients and reveals an association between altered default connectivity and positive symptom severity. As a novel find, this study also shows that default connectivity is correlated to and predictive of theory of mind performance. Extending these findings by examining the effects of emerging social cognition treatments on both default connectivity and theory of mind performance is now an important goal for research.
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Genetics and Cognitive Therapy Group, Neuroimaging and Cognitive Genomics (NICOG) Centre & NCBES Galway Neuroscience Centre, School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland; Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry & Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mothersill
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Genetics and Cognitive Therapy Group, Neuroimaging and Cognitive Genomics (NICOG) Centre & NCBES Galway Neuroscience Centre, School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Noreen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tangney
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Genetics and Cognitive Therapy Group, Neuroimaging and Cognitive Genomics (NICOG) Centre & NCBES Galway Neuroscience Centre, School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland; Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry & Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Derek W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry & Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Hazel
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry & Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Frodl
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry & Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry & Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Aiden
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corvin
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Genetics and Cognitive Therapy Group, Neuroimaging and Cognitive Genomics (NICOG) Centre & NCBES Galway Neuroscience Centre, School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland; Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry & Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland. Electronic address: gary.donohoe@nuigalway.ie.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Donohoe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D063132:Connectome / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012938:Social Perception; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Default network; Schizophrenia; Social cognition; fMRI