A Review of the Functional and Anatomical Default Mode Network in Schizophrenia

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder characterized by impaired perception, delusions, thought disorder, abnormal emotion regulation, altered motor function, and impaired drive. The default mode network (DMN), since it was first proposed in 2001, has become a central research theme in neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. In this review, first we define the DMN and describe its functional activity, functional and anatomical connectivity, heritability, and inverse correlation with the task positive network. Second, we review empirical studies of the anatomical and functional DMN, and anti-correlation between DMN and the task positive network in schizophrenia. Finally, we review preliminary evidence about the relationship between antipsychotic medications and regulation of the DMN, review the role of DMN as a treatment biomarker for this disease, and consider the DMN effects of individualized therapies for schizophrenia.

Keywords: Antipsychotics; DTI; Default mode network; Resting state; Schizophrenia; Task-negative network; Task-positive network; fMRI.

Fig. 1

Components of the DMN and TPN. A Spatial components of the DMN. Spatial maps of the DMN were generated using independent component analysis in a group of 38 healthy volunteers, all of whom were from the control group in our previous study [65]. B Simplified illustration of the principal regions for the two anti-correlated networks, the DMN (red) and TPN (blue). Abbreviations: DMN, default mode network; TPN, task positive network; PCC/PCUN, posterior cingulate cortex and adjacent precuneus; MPFC, medial prefrontal cortex; ITL/MTL, inferior/mesial temporal lobe; IPL, inferior parietal lobe; DPFC, dorsolateral PFC; MTAs, middle temporal area; SMA, supplementary motor area; dPMA, dorsal premotor areas; LPC, lateral parietal cortex.