Frequency dependent alterations in regional homogeneity of baseline brain activity in schizophrenia

PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e57516. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057516. Epub 2013 Mar 6.

Abstract

Low frequency oscillations are essential in cognitive function impairment in schizophrenia. While functional connectivity can reveal the synchronization between distant brain regions, the regional abnormalities in task-independent baseline brain activity are less clear, especially in specific frequency bands. Here, we used a regional homogeneity (ReHo) method combined with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate low frequency spontaneous neural activity in the three different frequency bands (slow-5:0.01-0.027 Hz; slow-4:0.027-0.08 Hz; and typical band: 0.01-0.08 Hz) in 69 patients with schizophrenia and 62 healthy controls. Compared with controls, schizophrenia patients exhibited decreased ReHo in the precentral gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, and posterior insula, whereas increased ReHo in the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior insula. Significant differences in ReHo between the two bands were found in fusiform gyrus and superior frontal gyrus (slow-4> slow-5), and in basal ganglia, parahippocampus, and dorsal middle prefrontal gyrus (slow-5> slow-4). Importantly, we identified significant interaction between frequency bands and groups in the inferior occipital gyrus and caudate body. This study demonstrates that ReHo changes in schizophrenia are widespread and frequency dependent.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Brain / physiopathology*
  • Brain Mapping*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Demography
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Schizophrenia / pathology*
  • Schizophrenia / physiopathology*

Grants and funding

This study was supported in part by the National Health Research Institute, Taiwan (NHRI-EX101-10145NI), National Science Council, Taiwan (NSC100-3112-B-002-016), and National Taiwan University (97HM00273). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.