Directed brain interactions over time: A resting-state EEG comparison between schizophrenia and healthy individuals

• Published in: Psychiatry research. Neuroimaging Vol. 344; p. 111861
• Main Authors: Toutain, Thaise G. L. de O., Miranda, José Garcia V., do Rosário, Raphael S., de Sena, Eduardo Pondé
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-10-2024
• Subjects: Brain functional network; Brain interactions; Dynamic connectivity; EEG; Psychosis; Schizophrenia; Psychosis; Schizophrenia; Brain interactions; Brain functional network; Dynamic connectivity; EEG
• ISSN: 0925-4927; 1872-7506; 1872-7506
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2024.111861

•Brain networks interactions in SZ individuals are different when compared to HC.•SZ group had low interactions over time between RT and LT brain regions (and vice versa).•These findings suggest a failure in brain interaction between RT and LT brain areas in SZ.
Understanding the neurophysiological mechanisms of schizophrenia (SZ) is one of the challenges of neuroscience. Many anatomical and functional studies have pointed to problems in brain connectivity in SZ individuals. However, little is known about the relationships between specific brain regions and impairments in brain connectivity in SZ individuals. Herein we propose a new approach using time-varying graphs and the motif synchronization method to build dynamic brain functional networks (BFNs). Dynamic BFNs were constructed from resting-state electroencephalography (rs-EEG) of 14 schizophrenia (SZ) individuals and 14 healthy controls (HCs). BFNs were evaluated based on the percentage of synchronization importance between a pair of regions (considering external and internal interactions) over time. We found differences in the directed interaction between brain regions in SZ individuals compared to the control group. Our method revealed low bilaterally directed interactions between the temporal lobes in SZ individuals compared to HCs, indicating a potential link between altered brain connectivity and the characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia. From a clinical perspective, these results shed light on developing new therapeutic approaches targeting these specific neural interactions that are altered in individuals with SZ. This knowledge allows the application of better interventions focused on restoring or compensating for interrupted connectivity patterns.
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