Understanding Executive Function and Dysfunction in Schizophrenia through Cortical Oscillatory Dynamics

认知表现被认为是精神分裂症患者日常心理社会功能的关键，执行功能（EF）被认为是最关键的缺陷之一。理解EF缺陷的性质及其在显性精神病理学中的作用仍然被认为是有限的，受到概念和方法问题的阻碍。健康个体和精神分裂症患者的血流动力学和电磁成像结果表明，脑区和活动模式参与EF，但神经元网络通信翻译成EF的机制仍不清楚。理解机制似乎是理解精神分裂症EF功能障碍的关键。拟议的项目旨在通过映射神经元网络通信通过振荡动力学在健康个体和精神分裂症患者中识别和建模支持EF的机制。磁和脑电图活动将被监测的任务选择激活EF，并结合先进的方法映射振荡动力学。假设包括：（1）振荡动力学是（全局）和（局部）功能特异性神经元回路之间的通信的关键，这些神经元回路跨越前额叶和后额叶区域，以维持EF，（2）定义区域之间的神经元同步反映了被认为是协调过程中的基础的主动采样机制，（3）任务相关的动力学随基线状态而变化，使得可以预测任务相关的脑功能和行为表现的模式，（4）精神分裂症患者进行性振荡动力学和任务相关振荡动力学之间的关系被破坏，导致主动取样能力和EF不足。任务选择是基于EF分类和出版的建议，区分相关方面的EF，证据连接MEG和EEG措施的工作记忆的维护和干扰控制方面的EF，我们在这里集中，并从我们的工作中的证据支持的假设振荡动力学的表现，各自的功能。我们希望这项工作能够支持EF的性质和组织的概念建模，澄清振荡活动在正常和异常认知中的作用，并提高对与认知功能障碍相关的精神分裂症神经元网络通信中断的理解。这将反过来支持关键振荡动力学的建模，可能是精神分裂症精神病理学发展的基础。这些发现将具有诊断和治疗应用。

Cognitive performance is viewed as essential to daily psychosocial function in schizophrenia, with executive function (EF) considered one of the most critical areas of deficit. Understanding the nature of EF deficits and their role in manifest psychopathology is still considered as limited, handicapped by problems of concept and method. Hemodynamic and electromagnetic imaging results in healthy individuals and schizophrenia patients have suggested brain regions and activity patterns as involved in EF, but the mechanism of translation of neuronal network communication into EF remains unclear. Understanding mechanisms seem critical to understanding dysfunctional EF in schizophrenia. The proposed project seeks to identify and model mechanisms supporting EF by mapping neuronal network communication via oscillatory dynamics in healthy individuals and schizophrenia patients. Magneto- and electroencephalographic activity will be monitored in tasks selected to activate EF, and advanced methods are combined for mapping oscillatory dynamics. Hypotheses include (1) oscillatory dynamics are key in communication between (global) and within (local) function-specific neuronal circuits spanning prefrontal and posterior regions subserving EF, (2) neuronal synchrony between defined regions reflects an active sampling mechanism thought to be fundamental in coordinated processes, (3) task-related dynamics vary with baseline state such that patterns of task-related brain function and behavioral performance can be predicted, (4) the relationship between ongoing and task-related oscillatory dynamics is disrupted in schizophrenia, contributing to deficient active sampling capacity and deficient EF. Task selection is based on EF taxonomies and published recommendations for distinguishing relevant facets of EF, on evidence connecting MEG and EEG measures to the working memory maintenance and interference control facets of EF on which we focus here, and on evidence from our work supporting the hypothesis of oscillatory dynamics as a manifestation of the respective functions. We expect this work to support conceptual modeling of the nature and organization of EF, to clarify the role of oscillatory activity in both normal and abnormal cognition, and to improve understanding of disruption in neuronal network communication in schizophrenia associated with dysfunctional cognition. This will in turn support modeling of the critical oscillatory dynamics potentially fundamental to the development of schizophrenia psychopathology. Such findings would have both diagnostic and therapeutic applications.