基于静息态fMRI的精神分裂症丘脑功能研究

Resting-State fMRI Study on Thalamic Function in Schizophrenia

摘要: 目的：探讨精神分裂症患者静息态功能磁共振成像(rs-fMRI)中丘脑的功能活跃度及丘脑与全脑功能连接强度的变化特征。方法：选取安徽省精神卫生中心就诊的精神分裂症患者49例纳入患者组，另选取同期于本院体检的正常人群56例为健康对照组。所有受试者均接受静息态功能磁共振成像扫描。通过计算低频振幅(ALFF)评估丘脑局部功能活跃度，并采用以丘脑为种子点的全脑功能连接分析比较两组在丘脑与全脑功能连接强度的差异。结果：与健康对照组相比，患者组表现出显著增加的丘脑功能活动(P < 0.001)。此外，患者的丘脑与全脑功能连接强度显著变化，表现出丘脑和前额皮质之间的功能连接强度降低(P < 0.001)，丘脑和基底神经节、海马和杏仁核之间的功能连接增强(P < 0.001)。结论：精神分裂症患者存在丘脑的功能活跃度增加，与全脑功能连接异常，表现为前额叶调控功能减弱和边缘系统过度激活，可能与疾病的发生密切相关。

Abstract: Objective: To investigate changes in thalamic functional activity and thalamic-whole-brain functional connectivity strength during resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in individuals with schizophrenia. Methods: A total of 49 patients with schizophrenia who visited the Anhui Provincial Mental Health Center were enrolled in the patient group. Additionally, 56 healthy individuals undergoing physical examinations at the same institution during the same period were selected as the healthy control group. All subjects underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. Thalamic local functional activity was assessed by calculating amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF). Thalamus-seeded whole-brain functional connectivity analysis was performed to compare differences in thalamic-whole-brain functional connectivity strength between the two groups. Results: Compared with the healthy control group, the patient group exhibited significantly increased thalamic functional activity (P < 0.001). Furthermore, patients demonstrated significant alterations in thalamic functional connectivity strength across the whole brain, characterized by reduced functional connectivity between the thalamus and prefrontal cortex (P < 0.001), and enhanced functional connectivity between the thalamus and basal ganglia, hippocampus, and amygdala (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Schizophrenia patients exhibit increased functional activity in the thalamus and abnormal whole-brain functional connectivity, manifested as weakened prefrontal regulatory function and excessive activation of the limbic system, which may be closely associated with the onset of the disease.