Small-world brain networks in schizophrenia

• Published in: Shanghai Jingshen Yixue Vol. 24; no. 6; pp. 322 - 327
• Main Author: 李名立 陈壮飞 李涛
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China%Faculty of Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunan Province, China 01.12.2012; Mental Health Center and Psychiatric Laboratory, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China; Editorial Department of the Shanghai Archives of Psychiatry
• Subjects: Review; 大脑; 小世界; 工作状态; 患者; 拓扑性质; 精神分裂症; 精神疾病; 网络图
• ISSN: 1002-0829
• DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1002-0829.2012.06.003

Over the last decade the combination of brain neuroimaging techniques and graph theoretical analysis of the complex anatomical and functional networks in the brain have provided an exciting new platform for exploring the etiology of mental disorders such as schizophrenia. This review introduces the current status of this work, focusing on the topological properties of human brain networks – called ‘small-world brain networks＇– and on the disruptions in these networks in schizophrenia. The evidence supporting the findings of reduced efficiency of information exchange in schizophrenia both within local brain regions and globally throughout the brain is reviewed and the potential relationship of these changes to cognitive and clinical symptoms is discussed. Finally we propose some suggestions for future research.