Open AccessFronto‐temporal connectivity predicts cognitive empathy deficits and experiential negative symptoms in schizophrenia
Author(s) -
Abram Samantha V.,
Wisner Krista M.,
Fox Jaclyn M.,
Barch Deanna M.,
Wang Lei,
Csernansky John G.,
MacDonald Angus W.,
Smith Matthew J.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
human brain mapping
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.005
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1097-0193
pISSN - 1065-9471
DOI - 10.1002/hbm.23439
Subject(s) - empathy , psychology , cognition , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , social cognition , neuroimaging , cognitive psychology , clinical psychology , neuroscience , psychiatry
Abstract Impaired cognitive empathy is a core social cognitive deficit in schizophrenia associated with negative symptoms and social functioning. Cognitive empathy and negative symptoms have also been linked to medial prefrontal and temporal brain networks. While shared behavioral and neural underpinnings are suspected for cognitive empathy and negative symptoms, research is needed to test these hypotheses. In two studies, we evaluated whether resting‐state functional connectivity between data‐driven networks, or components (referred to as, inter‐component connectivity ), predicted cognitive empathy and experiential and expressive negative symptoms in schizophrenia subjects. Study 1 : We examined associations between cognitive empathy and medial prefrontal and temporal inter‐component connectivity at rest using a group‐matched schizophrenia and control sample. We then assessed whether inter‐component connectivity metrics associated with cognitive empathy were also related to negative symptoms. Study 2 : We sought to replicate the connectivity‐symptom associations observed in Study 1 using an independent schizophrenia sample. Study 1 results revealed that while the groups did not differ in average inter‐component connectivity, a medial‐fronto‐temporal metric and an orbito‐fronto‐temporal metric were related to cognitive empathy. Moreover, the medial‐fronto‐temporal metric was associated with experiential negative symptoms in both schizophrenia samples. These findings support recent models that link social cognition and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1111–1124, 2017 . © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.