統合失調症における視床と社会機能の関連性

Association between the Thalamus and Social Function in Schizophrenia

統合失調症を持つ方々は社会認知能力の障害により日常の社会生活に多くの困難を抱えている。しかしその神経基盤の解明は十分に進んでいない。筆者らは統合失調症の社会機能障害の神経基盤について，大脳皮質下構造である視床に着目して神経回路異常の同定につとめ，視床と前頭葉との神経ネットワーク異常が社会機能障害に関連する可能性を示した。これらの知見は，統合失調症の新たな治療法の開発に貢献すると考えられる。

Abstract

Patients with schizophrenia face several difficulties in their daily social life owing to the impairment of social cognitive ability. However, the neural basis of this impairment has not been fully clarified. We attempted to identify the neuronal basis of social dysfunction of schizophrenia by focusing on the thalamus, which is a subcortical structure. We have shown that right thalamic volume, as well as white matter integrity between the right thalamus and right frontal lobe, is associated with the social function of patients with schizophrenia, by using T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data. These findings suggested that neural network abnormalities between the thalamus and the frontal lobe can be related to social dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia. Thus, these findings may contribute to the development of new treatments for schizophrenia.