Abstract: Default Mode Functional Connectivity Is Associated with Social Functioning in Schizophrenia (Society for Social Work and Research 22nd Annual Conference - Achieving Equal Opportunity, Equity, and Justice)

Schedule:

Saturday, January 13, 2018: 8:44 AM

Marquis BR Salon 8 (ML 2) (Marriott Marquis Washington DC)

* noted as presenting author

Matthew Smith, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI

Jaclyn Fox, Doctoral Student, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

Samantha Abram, Doctoral Student, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN

James Reilly, PhD, Associate Professor, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

Shaun Eack, PhD, David E. Epperson Professor of Social Work and Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Morris Goldman, MD, Associate Professor, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

John Csernansky, MD, Lizzie Gilman Professor and Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

Lei Wang, PhD, Assistant Professor, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

Background and Purpose: Individuals with schizophrenia display notable deficits in social functioning. The “dysconnectivity hypothesis” suggests that abnormal communication between neural networks is responsible for the cognitive and clinical symptoms of schizophrenia, including social functioning deficits. This is a promising theory to guide the investigation of the neural basis of social functioning among individuals with schizophrenia. The aims of this study were: (1) to compare resting-state DMN inter-network connectivity between individuals with schizophrenia and controls; (2) to assess between-group differences in DMN connectivity and the relationship between DMN connectivity and social functioning via measures of social attainment and social competence; and (3) to investigate whether social cognition mediated the association between DMN connectivity and social functioning among individuals with schizophrenia.

Methods: For the present study, we used resting-state neuroimaging data to evaluate connectivity between the main DMN hubs (i.e., the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the posterior cingulate cortex-anterior precuneus (PPC)) in individuals with schizophrenia (n=28) and controls (n=32). We also examined whether DMN connectivity was associated with social functioning via social attainment (measured by the Specific Levels of Functioning Scale) and social competence (measured by the Social Skills Performance Assessment), and if social cognition (measured by an emotional perspective taking task) mediated the association between DMN connectivity and the measures of social functioning.

Results: We observed that DMN connectivity did not differ between individuals with schizophrenia and controls (p>.10). However, connectivity between the mPFC and PCC hubs was significantly associated with social competence (p < .01) and social attainment (p < .01) in individuals with schizophrenia but not in controls as reflected by significant group-by-connectivity interactions for each above mentioned model. Follow-up within group analysis indicated that DMN connectivity was positively correlated with social competence (r = 0.45, P < .05) and social attainment (r = 0.44, P < .05) in individuals with schizophrenia. Social cognition did not mediate the association between social functioning and DMN connectivity in individuals with schizophrenia.

Conclusions and Implications: We observed that greater connectivity between regions in the DMN was associated with better social attainment and social competence in individuals with schizophrenia. Additionally, we found no evidence to support social cognition as a mediator for the association between DMN connectivity and social functioning in individuals with schizophrenia. Our findings support the general hypothesis that DMN connectivity could potentially be a novel treatment target and a neuroimaging marker for monitoring treatments aimed to enhance social attainment and social competence in schizophrenia. Moreover, future research could further develop this work by examining whether interventions targeting social attainment and social competence in other populations are strengthening the DMN connectivity of individuals with schizophrenia.