Striatal Cerebral Blood Flow and Executive Functioning in Clinical High Risk for Psychosis
Poster B87, Tuesday, October%209, 11:30%20am%20-%201:00%20pm, Essex%20Ballroom
Jochen Kindler1, Chantal Michel, Michael Kaess, Frauke Schultze-Lutter, Benno G Schimmelmann, Daniela Hubl; 1University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapie, Bern, Switzerland
Recently, several independent studies have shown increased striatal cerebral blood flow (rCBF) during the resting state in patients at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis. Moreover, patients with CHR exhibit deficits in cognitive functioning. However, the relation between rCBF and cognitive impairment in CHR is still unknown. Here, we studied the association between striatal CBF and executive functioning in CHR and clinical controls (CC). Participants with CHR and CC were assessed for ultra-high-risk criteria and basic symptoms and were tested for executive functioning using the trail making test-B (TMT-B). Neurocognitive deficits were defined as 1) more than one standard deviation lower than the mean, 2) a t-score lower than 40, or 3) a percentile lower than 16, as compared to normative data. Additionally, resting state rCBF was calculated from arterial spin labeling 3T MRI data. Striatal rCBF was highest in CHR patients with TMT-B deficits and was significantly higher than that in CC with and without TMT-B impairment. This is the first study to specifically examine TMT-B performance, as a measure of executive functioning, and striatal metabolic activity in a CHR sample. Our study provides support to the influence of the striatum on the pathogenesis of executive dysfunction as described in full-blown schizophrenia and extends it to CHR states.
Topic Area: Ultra High Risk / Prodromal Research