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

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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.

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Acknowledgements

This review was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81271484, 81471361, 30900486, and 81371480), the National Basic Research Development Program (973 Program) of China (2012CB517904), and the Nation Sponsored Study Abroad Program from China Scholarship Council (201506370095). Dr. Mann receives royalties from the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene for commercial use of the C-SSRS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China

    Mao-Lin Hu, Xiao-Fen Zong, Yan-Hui Liao, Zong-Chang Li, Ying He, Xiao-Gang Chen & Jin-Song Tang

  2. Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Mao-Lin Hu, Xiao-Fen Zong & J. John Mann

  3. Mental Health Institute of Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China

    Mao-Lin Hu, Xiao-Fen Zong & Xiao-Gang Chen

  4. Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology and Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China

    Jun-Jie Zheng

  5. Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA

    Yan-Hui Liao & Jin-Song Tang

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  1. Mao-Lin Hu
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Correspondence to Xiao-Gang Chen or Jin-Song Tang.

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Hu, ML., Zong, XF., Mann, J.J. et al. A Review of the Functional and Anatomical Default Mode Network in Schizophrenia. Neurosci. Bull. 33, 73–84 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12264-016-0090-1

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