A Resting State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study On The First-degree Relatives Of Schizophrenia

Objective: To explore whether and where abnormal brain activity exists in the first-degree relatives of schizophrenia during resting state by using functional magnetic resonance imaging ;and the mapping of abnormal area in fMRI of the relatives of schizophrenia.Methods: 13 first degree relatives of schizophrenia(study group) and 13 healthy controls(control group)were enrolled in this study. They all underwent fMRI in resting state. The newly published ReHo approach was applied for fMRI data analysis after realignment, registration, normalization and smooth in SPM2. For exploring the difference of fMRI between the schizophrenic and controls, a two-sample t test was performed on the individual in a voxel by voxel manner. Resulted statistical map was set a combined threshold of p<0.005 and the number of voxel>5.Results: Compared to control group, the first-degree relatives of schizophrenia showed decreased ReHo of BOLD signal in resting brain compared with control subjects (P<0.005) . The decreased ReHo was distributed over bilateral medial frontal, middle temporal, cingulate gyrus and cerebellar tonsil; the left inferior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; the right superior frontal gyrus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The increased ReHo was distributed in the right precuneus and superior temporal gyrus. Conclusions:The resting state fMRI study showed that abnormal brain activity in the first-degree relatives of schizophrenia might exist in resting state. BOLD-fMRI will be an important research means in schizophasia.