A

Social dysfunction relates to altered default mode network functional integrity across neuropsychiatric disorders: A replication and generalization study

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Abstract

Abstract Background Social dysfunction is an early manifestation of neuropsychiatric disorders that may relate to altered Default Mode Network (DMN) integrity. This study aimed to replicate previous findings linking social dysfunction with diminished resting-state DMN functional connectivity and altered task-based DMN functional activation in response to emotional faces across schizophrenia (SZ), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and healthy controls (HC), and to extend these findings to major depressive disorder (MDD). Methods Resting-state fMRI and task-based fMRI data on implicit facial emotional processing were acquired in an overlapping cohort (resting-state fMRI: N=167; SZ=32, MDD=44, AD=29, HC=62. Task-based fMRI: N=152; SZ=30, MDD=42, AD=26, HC=54). Additionally, mega-analyses (N=317 for resting-state fMRI; N=291 for task-based fMRI) of the current and a prior independent sample were conducted. Social dysfunction was indexed with the Social Functioning Scale (SFS) and the De Jong-Gierveld Loneliness (LON) scale. Results The association between higher mean SFS+LON social dysfunction scores and diminished DMN connectivity within the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex across SZ/AD/HC participants was replicated, and extended to MDD patients. Similar observations within the dorsomedial and rostromedial prefrontal cortex were found in the mega-analysis. Associations between social dysfunction and DMN activation in response to sad and happy faces were not replicated or found in the mega-analysis. Conclusions Diminished dorsomedial prefrontal cortex DMN connectivity emerged as a transdiagnostic neurobiological marker for social dysfunction, suggesting a potential treatment target for precision medicine approaches. DMN functional responses to emotional faces may not be a sensitive biomarker for social dysfunction.

Authors 16

  1. Simon Braak corresponding

    Amsterdam Neuroscience · Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    Affiliation as printed

    Amsterdam Neuroscience, Mood, Anxiety, Psychosis, Sleep & Stress and Neurodegeneration programs, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Boelelaan 7, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  2. Radboud University Nijmegen · Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour

    Affiliation as printed

    Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

  3. Amsterdam Neuroscience · Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    Affiliation as printed

    Amsterdam Neuroscience, Mood, Anxiety, Psychosis, Sleep & Stress and Neurodegeneration programs, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Boelelaan 7, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  4. Amsterdam Neuroscience · Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    Affiliation as printed

    Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  5. Affiliation as printed

    Amacrine Scientific Consulting, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  6. Universidad Complutense de Madrid · Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón · Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental · Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain

  7. Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The Netherlands

  8. Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The Netherlands

  9. Universidad Complutense de Madrid · Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón · Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental · Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain

  10. Affiliation as printed

    P1vital Ltd. Manor House, Howbery Park, Wallingford, United Kingdom

  11. Affiliation as printed

    P1vital Ltd. Manor House, Howbery Park, Wallingford, United Kingdom

  12. Affiliation as printed

    P1vital Products Ltd. Manor House, Howbery Park, Wallingford, United Kingdom

  13. Radboud University Nijmegen · Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour

    Affiliation as printed

    Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

  14. Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany)

    Affiliation as printed

    Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma, Biberach, Germany

  15. Amsterdam Neuroscience · Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    Affiliation as printed

    Amsterdam Neuroscience, Mood, Anxiety, Psychosis, Sleep & Stress and Neurodegeneration programs, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Boelelaan 7, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  16. University of Groningen

    Affiliation as printed

    Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

Cited by 1 stored of 1

1 result

No patents citing this paper on Lens.org (checked 2026-10-11).

References 62