%0 Journal Article %J Frontiers in Psychopathology %D 2014 %T

Attentional control mediates the relationship between social anhedonia and social impairment

%A Tully, L.M %A Sarah Hope Lincoln %A Christine I. Hooker %X

Social anhedonia, a traitlike disinterest in social contact and diminished capacity to experience pleasure from social interactions, is consistently associated with social impairments in both healthy and clinical populations. However, the mechanisms underlying the relationship between social anhedonia and social impairment are poorly understood. Attentional control, selecting and focusing on relevant information and inhibiting irrelevant, may be one such mechanism. We examined individual differences in social anhedonia, attentional control, and social impairment in 108 healthy adults. High social anhedonia related to low attentional control and high social impairment. Moreover, attentional control mediated the relationship between social anhedonia and social impairment, establishing attentional control as one mechanism underlying aberrations in the fundamental human need for social contact. Although both attentional deficits and social impairment have been separately noted in social anhedonia, the relationship between social anhedonia, attentional control and social impairment in this nonclinical sample reflects a novel contribution.

%B Frontiers in Psychopathology %V 5 %G eng %0 Journal Article %J Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging %D 2014 %T

Neural structure and social dysfunction in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis

%A Sarah Hope Lincoln %A Christine I. Hooker %X

Individuals at a clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis have gray matter volume (GMV) abnormalities that are similar to, though less severe than, those in individuals with schizophrenia. Less GMV in schizophrenia is related to worse social cognition and social functioning, but the relationship between GMV and social functioning in CHR individuals has yet to be investigated. The aim of this study was to (1) investigate differences in GMV between healthy controls (HC) and CHR individuals, and (2) evaluate the relationship between GMV and social functioning in these two groups. Participants comprised 22 CHR and 21 HC individuals who completed a structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan as well as self-reported and interviewer-rated measures of social functioning. Processing and analysis of structural images were completed using voxel based morphometry (VBM). Results showed that the CHR group had less GMV in the left postcentral gyrus, bilateral parahippocampual gyri, and left anterior cingulate cortex. Reduced GMV in the postcentral gyrus and the anterior cingulate was related to self- reported social impairment across the whole group. This study has implications for the neurobiological basis of social dysfunction present before the onset of psychosis. 

%B Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging %V 224 %P 152-8 %G eng %0 Journal Article %J Schizophrenia Research: Cognition %D 2014 %T

A novel, online social cognitive training program for young adults with schizophrenia: A pilot study

%A Nahum, M. %A Fisher, M. %A Loewy, R. %A Poelke, G. %A Ventura, J. %A Neuchterlein, K. %A Hooker, C.I %A Green, M.F. %A Merzenich, M. %A Vinogradov, S %X

Background: Pervasive social cognition deficits are evident early in the course of schizophrenia and are directly linked to functional outcome, making them an important target for intervention. Here, we tested the fea- sibility of use, and initiated the evaluation of efficacy, of a novel, neuroplasticity-based online training program (SocialVille) in young adults with schizophrenia. Methods: Schizophrenia patients (n = 17) completed 24 hours of online SocialVille game play either from home or at a clinic, over a 6–10 week period. We examined training feasibility, gains on the SocialVille exercises relative to matched healthy controls (n = 17), and changes on measures of social cognition, social functioning, global functioning and motivation. Results: Subjects adhered to training requirements, and rated SocialVille in the medium to high range in satisfaction, enjoyment, and ease of use. Subjects demonstrated significant, large improvements on the speeded SocialVille tasks, and small to moderate improvements on the working memory tasks. Post-training performance on the SocialVille tasks were similar to initial performance of the healthy controls. Subjects also showed improvements on standard measures of social cognition, social functioning, and motivation. No im- provements were recorded for emotion recognition indices of the MSCEIT, or on quality of life scales. Conclusion: This study provides an initial proof of concept for online social cognition training in schizophrenia. This form of training demonstrated feasibility and resulted in within-subject gains in social functioning and motivation. This pilot study represents a first step towards validating this training approach; randomized controlled trials, now underway, are designed to confirm and extend these findings.

%B Schizophrenia Research: Cognition %V 1 %P e11-e19 %G eng %N 1 %0 Journal Article %J Neuropsychologia %D 2014 %T

Distinct associations of insula and cingulate volume with the cognitive and affective dimensions of alexithymia

%A Goerlich-Dobre, K.S. %A Bruce, L. %A Martens, S. %A Aleman, A. %A Hooker, C.I %X

Alexithymia ("no words for feelings") is a major risk factor for psychosomatic and psychiatric conditions characterized by affect dysregulation. The alexithymia personality construct comprises an affective dimension, the level of subjective emotional experience (emotionalizing and fantasizing), and a cognitive dimension, referring to the cognitive control of emotions (identifying, analyzing, and verbalizing feelings). These two dimensions may differentially put individuals at risk for psychopathology, but their specific neural bases have rarely been investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to find out whether the two alexithymia dimensions are associated with discriminable neural correlates. By means of voxel-based morphometry (VBM), differences in gray matter volumes were compared between 20 (10 male) high-scorers and 20 (9 male) low-scorers on the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), reflecting the cognitive alexithymia dimension. In a subset of 32 subjects, the impact of the affective alexithymia dimension was tested in addition, as assessed with the affective subscale of the Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ). Analysis 1 (cognitive alexithymia dimension) revealed significantly larger gray matter volumes in the right posterior insula in high-scorers compared to low-scorers on the TAS-20. Analysis 2 (affective alexithymia dimension) revealed that the affective alexithymia dimension, specifically the emotionalizing factor indicative of low emotional reactivity, was associated with larger gray matter volumes of the right cingulate cortex. These results suggest that the two alexithymia dimensions are associated with distinct structural correlates.

%B Neuropsychologia %V 53 %P 284-92 %G eng %0 Journal Article %J NeuroImage: Clinical %D 2014 %T

Lateral prefrontal cortex activity during cognitive control of emotion predicts response to social stress in schizophrenia

%A Tully, L.M %A Lincoln, S.H. %A Hooker, C.I %X

LPFC dysfunction is a well-established neural impairment in schizophrenia and is associated with worse symptoms. However, how LPFC activation influences symptoms is unclear. Previous findings in healthy individuals demonstrate that lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) activation during cognitive control of emotional information predicts mood and behavior in response to interpersonal conflict, thus impairments in these processes may contribute to symptom exacerbation in schizophrenia. We investigated whether schizophrenia participants show LPFC deficits during cognitive control of emotional information, and whether these LPFC deficits prospectively predict changes in mood and symptoms following real-world interpersonal conflict. During fMRI, 23 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 24 healthy controls completed the Multi-Source Interference Task superimposed on neutral and negative pictures. Afterwards, schizophrenia participants completed a 21-day online daily-diary in which they rated the extent to which they experienced mood and schizophrenia-spectrum symptoms, as well as the occurrence and response to interpersonal conflict. Schizophrenia participants had lower dorsal LPFC activity (BA9) during cognitive control of task-irrelevant negative emotional information. Within schizophrenia participants, DLPFC activity during cognitive control of emotional information predicted changes in positive and negative mood on days following highly distressing interpersonal conflicts. Results have implications for understanding the specific role of LPFC in response to social stress in schizophrenia, and suggest that treatments targeting LPFC-mediated cognitive control of emotion could promote adaptive response to social stress in schizophrenia.

%B NeuroImage: Clinical %V 6 %P 43-53 %G eng %0 Journal Article %J Schizophrenia Research %D 2014 %T

A pilot study of cognitive training in clinical high risk for psychosis: Initial evidence of cognitive benefit

%A Christine I. Hooker %A Carol, Emily E %A Eisenstein, T J %A Yin, Hong %A Sarah Hope Lincoln %A Laura M. Tully %A Dodell-Feder, David %A Nahum, Mor %A Keshavan, Matcheri S %A Seidman, Larry J %B Schizophrenia Research %V 157 %P 314-6 %G ENG %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24954429?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1016/j.schres.2014.05.034 %0 Journal Article %J Schizophr Bull %D 2014 %T

Neural effects of the social environment

%A Krabbendam, Lydia %A Christine I. Hooker %A Aleman, André %X

Epidemiological studies have suggested that the association between city upbringing and minority status with risk for schizophrenia can be explained by social mechanisms. Neuroimaging approaches hold promise for investigating this claim. Recent studies have shown that in healthy individuals, city upbringing and minority status are associated with increased activity in brain circuits involved in emotion regulation during social evaluative processing. These findings support the hypothesis that changes in the ability to regulate social stress contribute to the mechanism of risk. This is in accordance with a body of evidence demonstrating the sensitivity of the human brain to social stress, based on observational studies investigating the neurological sequelae of interpersonal trauma and experimental studies manipulating exposure to interpersonal distress. In this report, we summarize these initial findings, discuss methodological and conceptual challenges of pursuing this line of inquiry in schizophrenia, and suggest an outline for future research.

%B Schizophr Bull %V 40 %P 248-51 %G eng %N 2 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24442853?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1093/schbul/sbt233 %0 Journal Article %J J Abnorm Psychol %D 2014 %T

Neural activity to positive expressions predicts daily experience of schizophrenia-spectrum symptoms in adults with high social anhedonia

%A Christine I. Hooker %A Benson, Taylor L %A Gyurak, Anett %A Yin, Hong %A Laura M. Tully %A Sarah Hope Lincoln %X

Social anhedonia (SA), the diminished pleasure from social relationships, is a prominent characteristic of the vulnerability and manifestation of schizophrenia disorder. However, SA can develop for multiple reasons and little is known about its neural basis; these 2 issues hinder the utility and sensitivity of SA as a marker of schizophrenia pathology. This study investigated whether lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) deficits in social reward processing are associated with both SA and other schizophrenia-spectrum symptoms. During functional MRI (fMRI), a community sample of healthy adults (N = 30) with high and low SA viewed positive, negative, and neutral facial expressions. Afterward, participants completed an online daily diary in which they rated schizophrenia-spectrum symptoms and occurrence of interpersonal conflict each day for 21 days. Compared with low SA, high SA participants had less ventral (V)LPFC activity to positive versus neutral expressions. In addition, participants with a combination of high SA and low VLPFC activity to positive versus neutral expressions had worse daily diary ratings of schizophrenia-spectrum symptoms, including worse cognition, paranoia, motivation/productivity, and vigor/positive affect (i.e., psychomotor activation). Finally, among high SA participants, VLPFC activity predicted the daily relationship between distress from interpersonal conflict and symptom-severity; specifically, high SA participants with low VLPFC activity had worse paranoia on days of high conflict distress. These findings indicate that VLPFC deficits in positive emotion are associated with both SA and other schizophrenia-spectrum symptoms and that understanding the interaction of SA, VLPFC function, and social stress could facilitate the use of SA in the prevention and treatment of schizophrenia.

%B J Abnorm Psychol %V 123 %P 190-204 %G eng %N 1 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24661170?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1037/a0035223 %0 Journal Article %J Schizophr Res %D 2014 %T

The relationship between default mode network connectivity and social functioning in individuals at familial high-risk for schizophrenia.

%A Dodell-Feder, David %A Delisi, Lynn E %A Christine I. Hooker %X

Unaffected first-degree relatives of individuals with schizophrenia (i.e., those at familial high-risk [FHR]), demonstrate social dysfunction qualitatively similar though less severe than that of their affected relatives. These social difficulties may be the consequence of genetically conferred disruption to aspects of the default mode network (DMN), such as the dMPFC subsystem, which overlaps with the network of brain regions recruited during social cognitive processes. In the present study, we investigate this possibility, testing DMN connectivity and its relationship to social functioning in FHR using resting-state fMRI. Twenty FHR individuals and 17 controls underwent fMRI during a resting-state scan. Hypothesis-driven functional connectivity analyses examined ROI-to-ROI correlations between the DMN's hubs, and regions of the dMPFC subsystem and MTL subsystem. Connectivity values were examined in relationship to a measure of social functioning and empathy/perspective-taking. Results demonstrate that FHR exhibit reduced connectivity specifically within the dMPFC subsystem of the DMN. Certain ROI-to-ROI correlations predicted aspects of social functioning and empathy/perspective-taking across all participants. Together, the data indicate that disruption to the dMPFC subsystem of the DMN may be associated with familial risk for schizophrenia, and that these intrinsic connections may carry measurable consequences for social functioning.

%B Schizophr Res %V 156 %P 87-95 %G ENG %N 1 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24768131?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1016/j.schres.2014.03.031 %0 Journal Article %J Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience %D 2014 %T

Neural disruption to theory of mind predicts daily social functioning in individuals at familial high-risk for schizophrenia

%A Dodell-Feder, David %A Delisi, Lynn E %A Christine I. Hooker %X

Theory-of-mind (ToM) ability is foundational for successful social relationships, and dependent on a neurocognitive system, which includes temporo-parietal junction and medial prefrontal cortex. Schizophrenia is associated with ToM impairments, and initial studies demonstrate similar, though more subtle deficits, in unaffected first-degree relatives, indicating that ToM deficits are a potential biomarker for the disorder. Importantly, the social consequences of ToM deficits could create an additional vulnerability factor for individuals at familial high-risk (FHR). However, behavioral studies of ToM are inconsistent and virtually nothing is known about the neural basis of ToM in FHR or the relationship between ToM and social functioning. Here, FHR and nonFHR control participants underwent fMRI scanning while reasoning about a story character's thoughts, emotions, or physical appearance. Afterwards, participants completed a 28-day online 'daily-diary' questionnaire in which they reported daily social interactions and degree of ToM reasoning. FHR participants demonstrated less neural activity in bilateral temporo-parietal junction when reasoning about thoughts and emotions. Moreover, across all participants, the degree of neural activity during ToM reasoning predicted several aspects of daily social behavior. Results suggest that vulnerability for schizophrenia is associated with neurocognitive deficits in ToM and the degree of deficit is related to day-to-day social functioning.

%B Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience %P nst186 %G ENG %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24396009?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1093/scan/nst186 %0 Journal Article %J Schizophrenia Research %D 2014 %T

Impaired cognitive control mediates the relationship between cortical thickness of the superior frontal gyrus and role functioning in schizophrenia

%A Laura M. Tully %A Sarah Hope Lincoln %A Nadia Liyanage-Don %A Christine I. Hooker %K Structural abnormalities in the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) are well-documented in schizophrenia and recent evidence suggests that these abnormalities relate to functional outcome. Cognitive control mechanisms, reliant on the LPFC, are impaired in schizophrenia and predict functional outcome, thus impaired cognitive control could mediate the relationship between neuroanatomical abnormalities in the LPFC and functional outcome. We used surface-based morphometry to investigate relationships between cortical surface characteristics, cognitive control, and measures of social and role functioning in 26 individuals with schizophrenia and 29 healthy controls. Results demonstrate that schizophrenia participants had thinner cortex in a region of the superior frontal gyrus (BA10). Across all participants, decreased cortical thickness in this region related to decreased cognitive control and decreased role functioning. Moreover, cognitive control fully mediated the relationship between cortical thickness in the superior frontal gyrus and role functioning, indicating that neuroanatomical abnormalities in the LPFC adversely impact role functioning via impaired cognitive control processes.

%B Schizophrenia Research %V 152 %P 358-64 %G eng %N 2 %R http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2013.12.005 %0 Journal Article %J NeuroImage: Clinical %D 2014 %T The neural basis of theory of mind and its relationship to social functioning and social anhedonia in individuals with schizophrenia %A Dodell-Feder, David %A Laura M. Tully %A Sarah Hope Lincoln %A Christine I. Hooker %K fMRI %K Schizophrenia %K Social anhedonia %K Social functioning %K Theory of Mind %X Theory of mind (ToM), the ability to attribute and reason about the mental states of others, is a strong determinant of social functioning among individuals with schizophrenia. Identifying the neural bases of ToM and their relationship to social functioning may elucidate functionally relevant neurobiological targets for intervention. ToM ability may additionally account for other social phenomena that affect social functioning, such as social anhedonia (SocAnh). Given recent research in schizophrenia demonstrating improved neural functioning in response to increased use of cognitive skills, it is possible that SocAnh, which decreases one's opportunity to engage in ToM, could compromise social functioning through its deleterious effect on ToM-related neural circuitry. Here, twenty individuals with schizophrenia and 18 healthy controls underwent fMRI while performing the False-Belief Task. Aspects of social functioning were assessed using multiple methods including self-report (Interpersonal Reactivity Index, Social Adjustment Scale), clinician-ratings (Global Functioning Social Scale), and performance-based tasks (MSCEIT—Managing Emotions). SocAnh was measured with the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale. Region-of-interest and whole-brain analyses revealed reduced recruitment of medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) for ToM in individuals with schizophrenia. Across all participants, activity in this region correlated with most social variables. Mediation analysis revealed that neural activity for ToM in MPFC accounted for the relationship between SocAnh and social functioning. These findings demonstrate that reduced recruitment of MPFC for ToM is an important neurobiological determinant of social functioning. Furthermore, SocAhn may affect social functioning through its impact on ToM-related neural circuitry. Together, these findings suggest ToM ability as an important locus for intervention. %B NeuroImage: Clinical %V 4 %P 154-163 %@ 2213-1582 %G eng