Altered regional homogeneity and cognitive impairments in first-episode schizophrenia: A resting-state fMRI study

Patients with schizophrenia consistently present pervasive cognitive deficits, but the neurobiological mechanism of cognitive impairments remains unclear. By analyzing regional homogeneity (ReHo) of resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, this study aimed to explore the association between brain functional alterations and cognitive deficits in first-episode schizophrenia (FES) with a relatively large sample. A total of 187 patients with FES and 100 healthy controls from 3 independent cohorts underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance scans. The MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) was used to assess cognitive function. Partial correlation analysis was performed between abnormal ReHo values and the severity of symptoms and cognitive deficits. Compared with healthy controls, ReHo values increased in right superior frontal cortex and decreased in right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), left middle occipital gyrus (MOG), left cuneus, right posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and right superior occipital gyrus in schizophrenia patients. ReHo values in ACC, PCC and superior occipital gyrus were correlated with PANSS scores. In addition, ReHo values in ACC and MOG were negatively correlated with working memory; left cuneus was positively correlated with multiple cognitive domains (speed of processing, attention/vigilance and social cognition); PCC was positively correlated with verbal learning; right superior occipital gyrus was positively correlated with speed of processing and social cognition. In conclusion, we found widespread ReHo alterations and cognitive dysfunction in FES. And the pathophysiology mechanism of a wide range of cognitive deficits may be related to abnormal spontaneous brain activity. •Patients with schizophrenia displayed severe and widespread cognitive deficits measured by MCCB.•The abnormal ReHo were distributed in SFG, ACC, PCC, cuneus and occipital lobe in schizophrenia.•ACC and PCC were correlated with PANSS scores.•Brain regions with decreased ReHo were associated with cognitive domains.•There may be compensatory neural activity in ACC.