Connectivity alterations of mesostriatal pathways in first episode psychosis

Nicholas Mark Edward Alexander Hayward; Ana María Triana; Jonatan M Panula; Tuula Kieseppä; Jaana Suvisaari; Tuukka T Raij

doi:10.1038/s41537-023-00339-y

Connectivity alterations of mesostriatal pathways in first episode psychosis

Schizophrenia (Heidelb). 2023 Mar 14;9(1):15. doi: 10.1038/s41537-023-00339-y.

Authors

Nicholas Mark Edward Alexander Hayward¹, Ana María Triana², Jonatan M Panula¹, Tuula Kieseppä³, Jaana Suvisaari⁴, Tuukka T Raij^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11000, Espoo, FI-00076, Finland.
² Department of Computer Science, Aalto University, P.O. Box 15400, Espoo, FI-00076, Finland.
³ Department of Clients and Services, Unit of Services, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, P.O. Box 33, Helsinki, FI-00023, Finland.
⁴ Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Mental Health Team, P.O. Box 30, Helsinki, FI-00271, Finland.
⁵ Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11000, Espoo, FI-00076, Finland. Tuukka.raij@hus.fi.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University and Helsinki University Hospital, P.O. Box 22, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FI-00014, Finland. Tuukka.raij@hus.fi.

Abstract

Background and hypothesis: Pathogenic understanding of the psychotic disorders converges on regulation of dopaminergic signaling in mesostriatocortical pathways. Functional connectivity of the mesostriatal pathways may inform us of the neuronal networks involved.

Study design: This longitudinal study of first episode psychosis (FEP) (49 patients, 43 controls) employed seed-based functional connectivity analyses of fMRI data collected during a naturalistic movie stimulus.

Study results: We identified hypoconnectivity of the dorsal striatum with the midbrain, associated with antipsychotic medication dose in FEP, in comparison with the healthy control group. The midbrain regions that showed hypoconnectivity with the dorsal striatum also showed hypoconnectivity with cerebellar regions suggested to be involved in regulation of the mesostriatocortical dopaminergic pathways. None of the baseline hypoconnectivity detected was seen at follow-up.

Conclusions: These findings extend earlier resting state findings on mesostriatal connectivity in psychotic disorders and highlight the potential for cerebellar regulation of the mesostriatocortical pathways as a target of treatment trials.

Abstract

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