Resting-state functional brain networks in first-episode psychosis: A 12-month follow-up study.
INTRODUCTION
Schizophrenia is increasingly conceived as a disorder of brain network connectivity and organization. However, reports of network abnormalities during the early illness stage of psychosis are mixed. This study adopted a data-driven whole-brain approach to investigate functional connectivity and network architecture in a first-episode psychosis cohort relative to healthy controls and whether functional network properties changed abnormally over a 12-month period in first-episode psychosis.


METHODS
Resting-state functional connectivity was performed at two time points. At baseline, 29 first-episode psychosis individuals and 30 healthy controls were assessed, and at 12 months, 14 first-episode psychosis individuals and 20 healthy controls completed follow-up. Whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity networks were mapped for each individual and analyzed using graph theory to investigate whether network abnormalities associated with first-episode psychosis were evident and whether functional network properties changed abnormally over 12 months relative to controls.


RESULTS
This study found no evidence of abnormal resting-state functional connectivity or topology in first-episode psychosis individuals relative to healthy controls at baseline or at 12-months follow-up. Furthermore, longitudinal changes in network properties over a 12-month period did not significantly differ between first-episode psychosis individuals and healthy control. Network measures did not significantly correlate with symptomatology, duration of illness or antipsychotic medication.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to show unaffected resting-state functional connectivity and topology in the early psychosis stage of illness. In light of previous literature, this suggests that a subgroup of first-episode psychosis individuals who have a neurotypical resting-state functional connectivity and topology may exist. Our preliminary longitudinal analyses indicate that there also does not appear to be deterioration in these network properties over a 12-month period. Future research in a larger sample is necessary to confirm our longitudinal findings.
['Ganella|Eleni P|EP|', 'Seguin|Caio|C|', 'Pantelis|Christos|C|', 'Whittle|Sarah|S|', 'Baune|Bernhard T|BT|', 'Olver|James|J|', 'Amminger|G Paul|GP|', 'McGorry|Patrick D|PD|', 'Cropley|Vanessa|V|', 'Zalesky|Andrew|A|', 'Bartholomeusz|Cali F|CF|']
D001921:Brain D016022:Case-Control Studies D005260:Female D005500:Follow-Up Studies D059907:Functional Neuroimaging D006801:Humans D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging D008297:Male D009434:Neural Pathways D011618:Psychotic Disorders D055815:Young Adult
functional connectivity graph theory Resting state first episode of psychosis