Disrupted Topological Organization of Functional Brain Networks in Schizophrenia with Self-Disorders: A Resting-State fMRI Study

Background:Self-disorder has been proposed as the “clinical core” of the schizophrenia. However, the functional network organization of self-disorder in schizophrenia patients remain unclear. This study aim is to explore the topological properties of self-disorder in schizophrenia patients using graph theoretic analysis. Method: 38 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (SCZ) and 48 age-matched healthy controls (HC) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Graph theory analysis was then used to calculate the topological organization of brain-wide functional networks. Then, perform a correlation analysis using the psychological examination results from the Embodied Sense of Self Scale (ESSS) and the graph theoretic analysis results. Results: Compared with HCs, SCZ patients exhibited decreases in
$\lambda,\sigma$
, global efficiency, and local efficiency, along with increases in
$\gamma$
. In various local brain regions, nodal topological properties reveal differences between SCZ patients and HCs. Brain networks related to self-disorder are mainly concentrated in the visual network, control network, dorsal attention network, salience network, and default mode network. Conclusion: Graph theoretic analysis suggest that the high degree of local integration and integrity of brain connections in SCZ patients may be disrupted. The nodal topological alterations may influence the degree of self-disorder in SCZ patients.