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Researchers have recently been examining the altered connections between neural networks in complex disorders (NEJM JW Psychiatry Jul 19 2013). To study this phenomenon in schizophrenia, Dutch investigators compared structural and functional connections in the central “rich club” of highly interconnected nodes between white matter tracts in 48 schizophrenia patients and 45 healthy controls. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tension imaging were performed.
In both controls and patients, rich club nodes (hubs) were noted in the bilateral precuneus, superior frontal cortex, superior parietal cortex, and insula. However, patients had significantly fewer network connections (but not fewer local connections). Althou…