Structural brain correlates of defective gesture performance in schizophrenia

Stegmayer, Katharina; Bohlhalter, Stephan; Vanbellingen, Tim; Federspiel, Andrea; Moor, Jeanne Yvonne; Wiest, Roland; Müri, René Martin; Strik, Werner; Walther, Sebastian (2016). Structural brain correlates of defective gesture performance in schizophrenia. Cortex, 78, pp. 125-137. Elsevier 10.1016/j.cortex.2016.02.014

[img] Text
1-s2.0-S0010945216300272-main.pdf - Published Version
Restricted to registered users only
Available under License Publisher holds Copyright.

Download (1MB) | Request a copy

INTRODUCTION

The neural correlates of impaired performance of gestures are currently unclear. Lesion studies showed variable involvement of the ventro-dorsal stream particularly left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) in gesture performance on command. However, findings cannot be easily generalized as lesions may be biased by the architecture of vascular supply and involve brain areas beyond the critical region. The neuropsychiatric syndrome of schizophrenia shares apraxic-like errors and altered brain structure without macroanatomic lesions. Schizophrenia may therefore qualify as a model disorder to test neural correlates of gesture impairments.

METHODS

We included 45 schizophrenia patients and 44 healthy controls in the study to investigate the structural brain correlates of defective gesturing in schizophrenia using voxel based morphometry. Gestures were tested in two domains: meaningful gestures (transitive and intransitive) on verbal command and imitation of meaningless gestures. Cut-off scores were used to separate patients with deficits, patients without deficits and controls. Group differences in gray matter (GM) volume were explored in an ANCOVA.

RESULTS

Patients performed poorer than controls in each gesture category (p < .001). Patients with deficits in producing meaningful gestures on command had reduced GM predominantly in left IFG, with additional involvement of right insula and anterior cingulate cortex. Patients with deficits differed from patients without deficits in right insula, inferior parietal lobe (IPL) and superior temporal gyrus.

CONCLUSIONS

Impaired performance of meaningful gestures on command was linked to volume loss predominantly in the praxis network in schizophrenia. Thus, the behavioral similarities between apraxia and schizophrenia are paralleled by structural alterations. However, few associations between behavioral impairment and structural brain alterations appear specific to schizophrenia.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > University Psychiatric Services > University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
10 Strategic Research Centers > ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research > ARTORG Center - Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Head Organs and Neurology (DKNS) > Clinic of Neurology
04 Faculty of Medicine > University Psychiatric Services > University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy > Psychiatric Neurophysiology [discontinued]
04 Faculty of Medicine > University Psychiatric Services > University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy > Management
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine (DRNN) > Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology
10 Strategic Research Centers > ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research

UniBE Contributor:

Stegmayer, Katharina Deborah Lena, Bohlhalter, Stephan, Vanbellingen, Tim, Federspiel, Andrea, Moor, Jeanne Yvonne, Wiest, Roland Gerhard Rudi, Müri, René Martin, Strik, Werner, Walther, Sebastian

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health
500 Science > 570 Life sciences; biology

ISSN:

0010-9452

Publisher:

Elsevier

Language:

English

Submitter:

Martin Zbinden

Date Deposited:

25 May 2016 14:47

Last Modified:

02 Mar 2023 23:27

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.cortex.2016.02.014

PubMed ID:

27038858

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Action planning; Intransitive; Meaningless; Pantomime; Praxis network; Transitive

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.81252

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/81252

Actions (login required)

Edit item Edit item
Provide Feedback