Connectivity strength of the EEG functional network in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Publication date: Available online 1 November 2019Source: Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological PsychiatryAuthor(s): Benjamín Cea-Cañas, Javier Gomez-Pilar, Pablo Núñez, Eva Rodríguez-Vázquez, Nieves de Uribe, Álvaro Díez, Adela Pérez-Escudero, Vicente MolinaAbstractThe application of graph theory measures in the study of functional brain networks allows for the description of their general properties and their alterations in mental illness. Among these measures, connectivity strength (CS) estimates the degree of functional connectivity of the whole network. Previous studies in schizophrenia patients have reported higher baseline CS values and modulation deficits in EEG spectral properties during cognitive activity. The specificity of these alterations and their relationships with pharmacological treatments remain unknown. Therefore, in the present study, we assessed functional CS on EEG-based brain networks in 79 schizophrenia and 29 bipolar patients in addition to 63 healthy controls. The subjects performed a P300 task during the EEG recordings from which the pre-stimulus and the task-related modulation CS values were computed in the global and theta bands. These values were compared between the groups and between the patients who had and had not received different treatments. The global band pre-stimulus CS was significantly higher in the schizophrenia group compared with the bipolar and control groups. Theta band CS modulation was decreased in schiz...
Source: Progress in Neuro Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research