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- Brandt, Christine Lycke, et al.
(author)
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Cognitive effort and schizophrenia modulate large-scale functional brain connectivity
- 2015
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In: Schizophrenia Bulletin. - 0586-7614 .- 1745-1701. ; 41:6, s. 1360-1369
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Schizophrenia (SZ) is characterized by cognitive dysfunction and disorganized thought, in addition to hallucinations and delusions, and is regarded a disorder of brain connectivity. Recent efforts have been made to characterize the underlying brain network organization and interactions. However, to which degree connectivity alterations in SZ vary across different levels of cognitive effort is unknown. Utilizing independent component analysis (ICA) and methods for delineating functional connectivity measures from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, we investigated the effects of cognitive effort, SZ and their interactions on between-network functional connectivity during 2 levels of cognitive load in a large and well-characterized sample of SZ patients (n = 99) and healthy individuals (n = 143). Cognitive load influenced a majority of the functional connections, including but not limited to fronto-parietal and default-mode networks, reflecting both decreases and increases in between-network synchronization. Reduced connectivity in SZ was identified in 2 large-scale functional connections across load conditions, with a particular involvement of an insular network. The results document an important role of interactions between insular, default-mode, and visual networks in SZ pathophysiology. The interplay between brain networks was robustly modulated by cognitive effort, but the reduced functional connectivity in SZ, primarily related to an insular network, was independent of cognitive load, indicating a relatively general brain network-level dysfunction.
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2. |
- Brandt, Christine Lycke, et al.
(author)
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Cognitive effort and schizophrenia modulate large-scale functional brain connectivity
- 2015
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In: Schizophrenia Bulletin. - : Oxford University Press. - 0586-7614 .- 1745-1701. ; 41:6, s. 1360-1369
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Schizophrenia (SZ) is characterized by cognitive dysfunction and disorganized thought, in addition to hallucinations and delusions, and is regarded a disorder of brain connectivity. Recent efforts have been made to characterize the underlying brain network organization and interactions. However, to which degree connectivity alterations in SZ vary across different levels of cognitive effort is unknown. Utilizing independent component analysis (ICA) and methods for delineating functional connectivity measures from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, we investigated the effects of cognitive effort, SZ and their interactions on between-network functional connectivity during 2 levels of cognitive load in a large and well-characterized sample of SZ patients (n = 99) and healthy individuals (n = 143). Cognitive load influenced a majority of the functional connections, including but not limited to fronto-parietal and default-mode networks, reflecting both decreases and increases in between-network synchronization. Reduced connectivity in SZ was identified in 2 large-scale functional connections across load conditions, with a particular involvement of an insular network. The results document an important role of interactions between insular, default-mode, and visual networks in SZ pathophysiology. The interplay between brain networks was robustly modulated by cognitive effort, but the reduced functional connectivity in SZ, primarily related to an insular network, was independent of cognitive load, indicating a relatively general brain network-level dysfunction.
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5. |
- Haatveit, Beathe, et al.
(author)
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Reduced load-dependent default mode network deactivation across executive tasks in schizophrenia spectrum disorders
- 2016
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In: NeuroImage. - 0353-8842 .- 2213-1582. ; 12, s. 389-396
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is associated with cognitive impairment and brain network dysconnectivity. Recent efforts have explored brain circuits underlying cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia and documented altered activation of large-scale brain networks, including the task-positive network (TPN) and the task-negative default mode network (DMN) in response to cognitive demands. However, to what extent TPN and DMN dysfunction reflect overlapping mechanisms and are dependent on cognitive state remain to be determined.METHODS: In the current study, we investigated the recruitment of TPN and DMN using independent component analysis in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (n = 29) and healthy controls (n = 21) during two different executive tasks probing planning/problem-solving and spatial working memory.RESULTS: We found reduced load-dependent DMN deactivation across tasks in patients compared to controls. Furthermore, we observed only moderate associations between the TPN and DMN activation across groups, implying that the two networks reflect partly independent mechanisms. Additionally, whereas TPN activation was associated with task performance in both tasks, no such associations were found for DMN.CONCLUSION: These results support a general load-dependent DMN dysfunction in schizophrenia spectrum disorder across two demanding executive tasks that is not merely an epiphenomenon of cognitive dysfunction.
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6. |
- Haatveit, Beathe, et al.
(author)
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Reduced load-dependent default mode network deactivation across executive tasks in schizophrenia spectrum disorders
- 2016
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In: NeuroImage Clinical. - : Elsevier BV. - 0353-8842 .- 2213-1582. ; 12, s. 389-396
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is associated with cognitive impairment and brain network dysconnectivity. Recent efforts have explored brain circuits underlying cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia and documented altered activation of large-scale brain networks, including the task-positive network (TPN) and the task-negative default mode network (DMN) in response to cognitive demands. However, to what extent TPN and DMN dysfunction reflect overlapping mechanisms and are dependent on cognitive state remain to be determined. METHODS: In the current study, we investigated the recruitment of TPN and DMN using independent component analysis in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (n = 29) and healthy controls (n = 21) during two different executive tasks probing planning/problem-solving and spatial working memory. RESULTS: We found reduced load-dependent DMN deactivation across tasks in patients compared to controls. Furthermore, we observed only moderate associations between the TPN and DMN activation across groups, implying that the two networks reflect partly independent mechanisms. Additionally, whereas TPN activation was associated with task performance in both tasks, no such associations were found for DMN. CONCLUSION: These results support a general load-dependent DMN dysfunction in schizophrenia spectrum disorder across two demanding executive tasks that is not merely an epiphenomenon of cognitive dysfunction.
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7. |
- Haatveit, Beathe, et al.
(author)
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Stability of executive functions in first episode psychosis : one year follow up study
- 2015
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In: Psychiatry Research. - 0165-1781 .- 1872-7123. ; 228:3, s. 475-481
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Executive functioning is a multi-dimensional construct covering several sub-processes. The aim of this study was to determine whether executive functions, indexed by a broad range of executive measures remain stable in first episode psychosis (FEP) over time. Eighty-two patients and 107 age and gender matched healthy controls were assessed on five subdomains of executive functioning; working memory, fluency, flexibility, and inhibitory control at baseline and at 1 year follow-up. Results showed that patients performed significantly poorer than controls on all executive measures at both assessment points. In general executive functions remained stable from baseline to follow-up, although both groups improved on measures of inhibitory control and flexibility. In phonemic fluency, controls showed a slight improvement while patients showed a slight decline. Investigation of individual trajectories revealed some fluctuations in both groups over time, but mainly supports the group level findings. The implications of these results are discussed.
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8. |
- Haatveit, Beathe, et al.
(author)
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Stability of executive functions in first episode psychosis : one year follow up study
- 2015
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In: Psychiatry Research. - : Elsevier Ireland Ltd. - 0165-1781 .- 1872-7123. ; 228:3, s. 475-481
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Executive functioning is a multi-dimensional construct covering several sub-processes. The aim of this study was to determine whether executive functions, indexed by a broad range of executive measures remain stable in first episode psychosis (FEP) over time. Eighty-two patients and 107 age and gender matched healthy controls were assessed on five subdomains of executive functioning; working memory, fluency, flexibility, and inhibitory control at baseline and at 1 year follow-up. Results showed that patients performed significantly poorer than controls on all executive measures at both assessment points. In general executive functions remained stable from baseline to follow-up, although both groups improved on measures of inhibitory control and flexibility. In phonemic fluency, controls showed a slight improvement while patients showed a slight decline. Investigation of individual trajectories revealed some fluctuations in both groups over time, but mainly supports the group level findings. The implications of these results are discussed.
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9. |
- Olsson, Anna-Karin
(author)
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Functional Capacity as a Predictor of Everyday Functioning in Patients with Schizophrenia
- 2019
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The overall purpose of this thesis is to increase knowledge of the concept of functional capacity and how it is related to everyday functioning for adult patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The thesis comprises three papers (Papers I-III) based on empirical data from a clinically representative sample of outpatients. The results in the first study (Paper I) indicated that the Swedish version of University of California San Diego Performance-based Skills Assessment-Brief (UPSA-B) is a reliable instrument, with good psychometric properties in terms of both validity and reliability. UPSA-B is a performance-based instrument used to assess functional capacity, i.e. the patient’s ability to perform certain everyday tasks, necessary for independent functioning, in a controlled setting. In the second study (Paper II), the aim was to investigate if and how demographic variables and illness activities, together with functional capacity, contribute to predicting real-world functioning milestones. Functional capacity was mainly associated with education level and housing situation. In the third study (Paper III), the aim was to investigate how the patient's self-rating ability regarding functional performance relates to neurocognitive performance and real-world functional performance. The results showed that 37% of patients overestimate their functional performance. The results also showed that clinicians seem to have greater difficulty assessing patients who overestimate their functioning. In summary, this thesis states that using UPSA-B to measure functional capacity offers considerable advantages and plays an important role in capturing functional outcomes. The importance of taking control of limited self-rating ability in patients with schizophrenic spectrum disorders is also demonstrated.
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10. |
- Sonderby, Ida E., et al.
(author)
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Dose response of the 16p11.2 distal copy number variant on intracranial volume and basal ganglia
- 2020
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In: Molecular Psychiatry. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1359-4184 .- 1476-5578. ; 25:3, s. 584-602
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Carriers of large recurrent copy number variants (CNVs) have a higher risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders. The 16p11.2 distal CNV predisposes carriers to e.g., autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. We compared subcortical brain volumes of 12 16p11.2 distal deletion and 12 duplication carriers to 6882 non-carriers from the large-scale brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging collaboration, ENIGMA-CNV. After stringent CNV calling procedures, and standardized FreeSurfer image analysis, we found negative dose-response associations with copy number on intracranial volume and on regional caudate, pallidum and putamen volumes (β = −0.71 to −1.37; P < 0.0005). In an independent sample, consistent results were obtained, with significant effects in the pallidum (β = −0.95, P = 0.0042). The two data sets combined showed significant negative dose-response for the accumbens, caudate, pallidum, putamen and ICV (P = 0.0032, 8.9 × 10−6, 1.7 × 10−9, 3.5 × 10−12 and 1.0 × 10−4, respectively). Full scale IQ was lower in both deletion and duplication carriers compared to non-carriers. This is the first brain MRI study of the impact of the 16p11.2 distal CNV, and we demonstrate a specific effect on subcortical brain structures, suggesting a neuropathological pattern underlying the neurodevelopmental syndromes.
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