Differential effects in the subsystems of the salience network in schizophrenia

Recent studies have found connections between schizophrenia and abnormalities in the brain's salience network, a crucial system with key centers in the anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex. This network is divided into two subsystems: the dorsal salience network, which processes sensory information and directs attention to self-generated or external sensory stimuli, and the ventral salience network, which processes the emotional significance of these stimuli.

In this pilot study, we analyzed resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 14 schizophrenia patients and 16 healthy controls. We focused on the functional connectivity within the salience network's dorsal and ventral subsystems, particularly between the dorsal anterior insula and frontoparietal areas, and the ventral anterior insula and the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex.

Our analysis showed that schizophrenia patients had weaker connectivity within the dorsal salience network, particularly between the dorsal anterior insula and frontoparietal areas. Conversely, these patients exhibited increased connectivity within the ventral salience network, especially between the ventral anterior insula and the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex.

Our findings indicate that disruptions in the salience network in schizophrenia differ based on the type of information being processed. This variation highlights the complexity of the disorder and the specific challenges it poses to the brain's ability to process and prioritize information.

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