White matter integrity alteration in mirror neurons of schizophrenic patients and their correlations With social cognition; DTI study

Abstract

Abstract Abstract Objective: the aim of this study is to use Diffusion tensor imaging (Malcolm et al., 2009) to evaluate the white matter microstructure of the fiber tracks connecting the premotor cortex (PMC), the inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Conclusions: We have demonstrated disrupted white mater microstructure within the white matter tracts subserving brain regions containing mirror neurons. We further showed that such structural disruptions might impact negative symptoms and, more specifically, contribute to the inability to feel intimacy (a measure conceptually related to theory of mind) in first episode and chronic schizophrenia;. Further studies are needed to understand the potential of our results for diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic interventions.