Sestini, S., Perone, R., Domenichetti, S., Mazzeo, C., Massai, V., Rispoli, A., Barbacci, A., Valtancoli, A., Castagnoli, A., Mansi, L.
Brain network underlying the improvement of social functioning in schizophrenic patients after one-year treatment with social skills training
(2016) Current Radiopharmaceuticals, 9 (2), pp. 150-159.
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84986879745&partnerID=40&md5=fda98dac103365e580df13a33230c6a3
DOI: 10.2174/1874471009999160625110759
AFFILIATIONS: Dept. Diagnostic Imaging, Nuclear Medicine Unit, N.O.P. - S. Stefano, U.S.L. 4, Prato, Italy;
Dept. of Mental Health, Simple Operative Structure for Adult Mental Health 5 (S.O.S. S.M.A.), A.S.L. 10, Florence, Italy;
Dept. of Mental Health, Functional Unit for Adult Mental Health (U.F. S.M.A), A.S.L. 10, Florence, Italy;
Dept. uclear Medicine, Second University of Naples, Italy
ABSTRACT: Purpose: To assess changes in social and neuro-cognition and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in schizophrenic patients with psychotic syndrome treated with Social Skill Training (SST). Methods: 17 patients underwent two high resolution rCBF SPECT at rest before and after a one-year treatment with SST. Patients were assessed using a neuropsychological evaluation (W.A.I.S.-R, T.M.T, Verbal Fluency, W.C.S.T.). SPM8 was used to investigate rCBF changes from the pre- to the post-SST condition and the relationship between rCBF and clinical scores used as covariates of interest. Results: All patients presented with an improvement in social perception, ability to deal with abstract social conventions, rules and judgments about people (Comprehension and Picture Completion sub-tests) and some neuro-cognitive functions sustaining the process of socially relevant information. The main effect of SST was to produce rCBF increases in precuneus, PCC, superior parietal lobules, PMC, pre-SMA, precentral gyrus, dmPFC, dlPFC, vmPFC, OFC (p<0.0001 uncorrected). The SPM analysis showed that Comprehension was supported by PMC, dmPFC, OFC and vmPFC, while the Picture Completion was supported by PMC and dmPFC (p<0.0001). Conclusion: SST in schizophrenic patients improves resting neural activity in cortical areas of the amigdala-based and non-amygdala networks of social brain, including dmPFC and vmPFC, and dlPFC, which are known to be part of default mode and task-positive networks and to be implicated in schizophrenia. © 2016 Bentham Science Publishers.
CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS: Sestini, S.; Nuclear Medicine Unit, N.O.P. - S. Stefano, U.S.L. 4Italy; email: ssestini@uslcentro.toscana.it
DOCUMENT TYPE: Article
SOURCE: Scopus
