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Cortical thickness and surface area correlates with cognitive dysfunction among first-episode psychosis patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 June 2016

L. Haring ,
A. Müürsepp ,
R. Mõttus ,
P. Ilves ,
K. Koch ,
K. Uppin ,
J. Tarnovskaja ,
E. Maron ,
A. Zharkovsky  and
E. Vasar
...Show all authors
L. Haring*
Affiliation:
Psychiatry Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
A. Müürsepp
Affiliation:
Radiology Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia Department of Radiology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
R. Mõttus
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Department of Psychology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
P. Ilves
Affiliation:
Radiology Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia Department of Radiology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
K. Koch
Affiliation:
Psychiatry Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
K. Uppin
Affiliation:
Psychiatry Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
J. Tarnovskaja
Affiliation:
Psychiatry Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
E. Maron
Affiliation:
Psychiatry Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia Department of Psychiatry, North Estonia Medical Centre, Tallinn, Estonia Centre for Mental Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
A. Zharkovsky
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia Centre of Excellence for Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
E. Vasar
Affiliation:
Centre of Excellence for Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
V. Vasar
Affiliation:
Psychiatry Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
*
*Address for correspondence: L. Haring, M.D., Psychiatry Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Background

In studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), some have reported specific brain structure–function relationships among first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients, but findings are inconsistent. We aimed to localize the brain regions where cortical thickness (CTh) and surface area (cortical area; CA) relate to neurocognition, by performing an MRI on participants and measuring their neurocognitive performance using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), in order to investigate any significant differences between FEP patients and control subjects (CS).

Method

Exploration of potential correlations between specific cognitive functions and brain structure was performed using CANTAB computer-based neurocognitive testing and a vertex-by-vertex whole-brain MRI analysis of 63 FEP patients and 30 CS.

Results

Significant correlations were found between cortical parameters in the frontal, temporal, cingular and occipital brain regions and performance in set-shifting, working memory manipulation, strategy usage and sustained attention tests. These correlations were significantly dissimilar between FEP patients and CS.

Conclusions

Significant correlations between CTh and CA with neurocognitive performance were localized in brain areas known to be involved in cognition. The results also suggested a disrupted structure–function relationship in FEP patients compared with CS.

Keywords

Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Batterycognitionfirst-episode psychosismagnetic resonance imaging
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 46 , Issue 10 , July 2016 , pp. 2145 - 2155
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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