Aberrant intra-salience network dynamic functional connectivity impairs large-scale network interactions in schizophrenia

Aberrant functional interactions between several large-scale networks, especially the central executive network (CEN), the default mode network (DMN) and the salience network (SN), have been postulated as core pathophysiologic features of schizophrenia; however, the attributing factors of which remain unclear. The study employed resting-state fMRI with 77 participants (42 patients and 35 controls). We performed dynamic functional connectivity (DFC) and functional connectivity (FC) analyses to explore the connectivity patterns of these networks. Furthermore, we performed a structural equation model (SEM) analysis to explore the possible role of the SN in modulating network interactions. The results were as follows: (1) The inter-network connectivity showed decreased connectivity strength and increased time-varying instability in schizophrenia; (2) The SN manifested schizophrenic intra-network dysfunctions in both the FC and DFC patterns; (3) The connectivity properties of the SN were effective in discriminating controls from patients; (4) In patients, the dynamic intra-SN connectivity negatively predicted the inter-network FC, and this effect was mediated by intra-SN connectivity strength. These findings suggest that schizophrenia show systematic deficits in temporal stability of large-scale network connectivity. Furthermore, aberrant network interactions in schizophrenia could be attributed to instable intra-SN connectivity and the dysfunction of the SN may be an intrinsic biomarker of the disease.