Presentation Information
[P-24-02]Alterations in Neurotransmitter-Related Brain Networks in Schizophrenia During Auditory Speech Stimulation
*Hanxiaoran Li, Tao Li, Wei Wei (Affiliated Mental Health Centre & Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine(China))
Keywords:
Schizophrenia,Auditory verbal hallucinations,Receptor-enriched analysis of functional connectivity by targets,Partial Least Squares Correlation
Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) are a hallmark symptom of schizophrenia, associated with extensive alterations in functional brain networks. Prior research has suggested that the core pathophysiological mechanisms of schizophrenia may involve the dysregulation of multiple neurotransmitter signaling pathways. Yet, the specific impact of various neurotransmitters or transporters on brain functional networks remains poorly understood. This study aimed to link neurotransmitter function to abnormal functional brain networks in schizophrenia under auditory stimulation, thereby deepening our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms at play and setting a foundation for future pharmacological interventions.Data were sourced from a publicly available dataset, including 46 schizophrenia patients (23 with frequent AVH and 23 without) and 25 age-, sex-, and IQ-matched healthy controls. Participants underwent fMRI scans while exposed to auditory stimuli including white noise, words, sentences, and reversed speech. This study utilized publicly available PET atlases for six neurotransmitters or transporters (DAT, 5-HTT, mGluR5, GABAa, NET, VAChT). The structural and functional MRI data were preprocessed using fMRIprep, followed by extraction of time series data for each brain region, and the application of REACT to identify neurotransmitter-related brain activity.The analysis revealed three distinct patterns of dysregulation in schizophrenia. Pattern 1 showed decreased variability across extensive brain networks, particularly during white noise exposure compared to speech stimuli. Pattern 2 demonstrated that abnormalities in neurotransmitter-related brain regions varied significantly with the auditory task, with reversed speech inducing opposite effects compared to other types of auditory stimuli. Pattern 3 revealed that the presence of AVH influenced abnormalities in neurotransmitter-related brain regions.By integrating molecular data on various receptors and transporters in the brain with fMRI analyses, this study elucidates how speech stimulation impacts activation in different neurotransmitter-related brain regions. These findings enhance our understanding of the relationship between schizophrenia and neurotransmitter receptors or transporters, providing a theoretical basis for future exploration of multi-receptor or multi-medication treatment strategies.