정신분열병의 형제 자매 집단과 정상 대조군에서 얼굴 인식 과정 중 기능성 뇌자기공명영상촬영을 하여 활성화되는 뇌 부위를 비교하여 정신분열병 환자들의 형제 자매 집단에서 성별판별을 위한 얼굴 정보 처리에 기능 저하를 확인하였다. 특 히 얼굴의 성별판별에 이상이 있으며, 정신분열병 형제 자매는 정신분열병 환자들과 마찬가지로 오른쪽 방추형 이랑을 비롯한 얼굴 정보 처리 관련 회로의 기능 저하가 있었다. 정신분열병 유전자를 공유하는 비이환 형제 자매에서 확인된 이러 한 얼굴 정보 처리 이상 소견은 정신분열병적 성향이며, 향후 정신분열병의 원인 및 병태 생리 규명에 크게 기여할 것이다.

Objectives: A neural circuit including amygdala, the hippocampal complex and prefrontal cortex was associated with deficits in facial processing in schizophrenia. These deficits have a significant impact on social functioning in schizophrenia. Both neuropsychological deficits and brain structural abnormalities in first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients suggest that they may also have the deficit in facial information processing as genetic factors. The purpose of this study was to explore the dysfunction of facial information processing in first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients using functional magnetic neuroimaging (fMRI). Methods: Ten non-affected siblings of schizophrenic patients and 10 normal comparison subjects having no schizophrenic siblings underwent fMRI during the dynamic facial change procedure consisting of presentations of facial emotion and gender discrimination stimuli. The emotion discrimination condition consisted of the presentation of 12 happy faces and 12 disgust/fear faces. The gender discrimination condition consisted of the presentation of 12 male faces and 12 female faces. Condition-specific brain activations were compared between non-affected siblings and normal comparison subjects ResultsZZThe facial information processing related brain regions including fusiform gyrus, several areas of frontal, temporal, occipital, and cerebellar regions exhibited more activation during gender discrimination than emotion discrimination tasks in each group. During gender discrimination task, siblings of schizophrenic patients showed less activation in right fusiform gyrus, both middle and superior frontal gyrus, left cuneus, and left inferior frontal gyrus, compared with normal comparison subjects. Conclusion: Dysfunctional facial information processing, such as a deficit in gender discrimination, might be an endophenotype of schizophrenia.

Objectives: A neural circuit including amygdala, the hippocampal complex and prefrontal cortex was associated with deficits in facial processing in schizophrenia. These deficits have a significant impact on social functioning in schizophrenia. Both neuropsychological deficits and brain structural abnormalities in first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients suggest that they may also have the deficit in facial information processing as genetic factors. The purpose of this study was to explore the dysfunction of facial information processing in first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients using functional magnetic neuroimaging (fMRI). Methods: Ten non-affected siblings of schizophrenic patients and 10 normal comparison subjects having no schizophrenic siblings underwent fMRI during the dynamic facial change procedure consisting of presentations of facial emotion and gender discrimination stimuli. The emotion discrimination condition consisted of the presentation of 12 happy faces and 12 disgust/fear faces. The gender discrimination condition consisted of the presentation of 12 male faces and 12 female faces. Condition-specific brain activations were compared between non-affected siblings and normal comparison subjects ResultsZZThe facial information processing related brain regions including fusiform gyrus, several areas of frontal, temporal, occipital, and cerebellar regions exhibited more activation during gender discrimination than emotion discrimination tasks in each group. During gender discrimination task, siblings of schizophrenic patients showed less activation in right fusiform gyrus, both middle and superior frontal gyrus, left cuneus, and left inferior frontal gyrus, compared with normal comparison subjects. Conclusion: Dysfunctional facial information processing, such as a deficit in gender discrimination, might be an endophenotype of schizophrenia.

WORDSZZSchizophrenia·Nonaffected siblings·fMRI·Face discrimination·Fusiform gyrus