Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10305714 | Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging | 2012 | 7 Pages |
Abstract
Earlier neuroimaging studies of motor function in schizophrenia have demonstrated reduced functional lateralization in the motor network during motor tasks. Here, we used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging during a visually guided motor task in 18 clinically unaffected siblings of patients with schizophrenia and 24 matched controls to investigate if abnormal functional lateralization is related to genetic risk for this brain disorder. Whereas activity associated with motor task performance was mainly contralateral with only a marginal ipsilateral component in healthy participants, unaffected siblings had strong bilateral activity with significantly greater response in ipsilateral and contralateral premotor areas as well as in contralateral subcortical motor regions relative to controls. Reduced lateralization in siblings was also identified with a measure of laterality quotient. These findings suggest that abnormal functional lateralization of motor circuitry is related to genetic risk of schizophrenia.
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Authors
Mario Altamura, Leonardo Fazio, Michela De Salvia, Annamaria Petito, Giuseppe Blasi, Paolo Taurisano, Raffaella Romano, Barbara Gelao, Antonello Bellomo, Alessandro Bertolino,