Complex post-traumatic stress disorder moderates functional connectivity in people with psychosis
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Altered functional connectivity in several functional networks has been found in people with psychosis, especially in the default mode (DMN), salience (SAL) and central executive (CEN) networks. Functional connectivity in people with psychosis is influenced by traumatic life experiences. Trauma histories typical of people with psychosis are associated with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD), but no studies have explored whether post-traumatic sequelae contribute to functional dysconnectivity in people with psychosis. METHODS: Using resting-state fMRI, we compared two groups meeting diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia spectrum disorders (N = 106); one group additionally met ICD-11 criteria for comorbid cPTSD, whereas the other did not. We assessed between-group differences in functional connectivity between 15 pre-defined regions of the DMN, SAL and CEN. Post-hoc correlations were used to test whether intra- and/or inter-network connectivity related to cPTSD symptom severity in the comorbid cPTSD group. RESULTS: The comorbid cPTSD group demonstrated significantly lower functional connectivity within the DMN, SAL and CEN, as well as increased negative connectivity between the SAL and CEN. The control group showed significantly decreased connectivity of the DMN with the SAL and CEN. PTSD symptoms correlated positively with intra-SAL connectivity and DMN-SAL dysconnectivity, whereas DSOs correlated positively with intra-SAL dysconnectivity and reduced DMN-CEN connectivity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings broadly align with the tripartite network model explaining psychopathology in terms of DMN, SAL and CEN dysconnectivity. Intra-network dysconnectivity in subgroups of people with psychosis may relate to post-traumatic sequelae, whereas inter-network dysconnectivity may be more central in trauma-unrelated psychoses.
Source: Psychiatry Research Neuroimaging
Institutions: Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, King's College London, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, University College London, University of Sheffield, Lancaster University, University of York, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, University of Oxford
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,110
Funders: National Institute on Handicapped Research, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, National Institute for Health and Care Research, King's College London, University of Sussex, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Goddard Space Flight Center, NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, Economic and Social Research Council, Health Technology Assessment Programme, Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme
Awards: Multisite Randomised Controlled Trial of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for psychosis to reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms in people with co-morbid post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis, compared to Treatment as Usual: the STAR (Study of Trauma And Recovery) trial, G228604818, Therapeutic targets for the effective psychological treatment of trauma sequelae symptoms and psychosis in patients with comorbid Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Psychological and neural mechanisms., G5360198144, Investigating the impact and underpinnings of complex post-traumatic stress disorder in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
OpenAlex ID: W4415896084