Brain structural associations of syntactic complexity and diversity across schizophrenia spectrum and major depressive disorders, and healthy controls

Abstract Deviations in syntax production have been well documented in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). Recently, we have shown evidence for transdiagnostic subtypes of syntactic complexity and diversity. However, there is a lack of studies exploring brain structural correlates of syntax acros...

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Main Authors: Katharina Schneider, Nina Alexander, Andreas Jansen, Igor Nenadić, Benjamin Straube, Lea Teutenberg, Florian Thomas-Odenthal, Paula Usemann, Udo Dannlowski, Tilo Kircher, Arne Nagels, Frederike Stein
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Schizophrenia
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-024-00517-6
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author Katharina Schneider
Nina Alexander
Andreas Jansen
Igor Nenadić
Benjamin Straube
Lea Teutenberg
Florian Thomas-Odenthal
Paula Usemann
Udo Dannlowski
Tilo Kircher
Arne Nagels
Frederike Stein
author_facet Katharina Schneider
Nina Alexander
Andreas Jansen
Igor Nenadić
Benjamin Straube
Lea Teutenberg
Florian Thomas-Odenthal
Paula Usemann
Udo Dannlowski
Tilo Kircher
Arne Nagels
Frederike Stein
author_sort Katharina Schneider
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Deviations in syntax production have been well documented in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). Recently, we have shown evidence for transdiagnostic subtypes of syntactic complexity and diversity. However, there is a lack of studies exploring brain structural correlates of syntax across diagnoses. We assessed syntactic complexity and diversity of oral language production using four Thematic Apperception Test pictures in a sample of N = 87 subjects (n = 24 major depressive disorder (MDD), n = 30 SSD patients both diagnosed according to DSM-IV-TR, and n = 33 healthy controls (HC)). General linear models were used to investigate the association of syntax with gray matter volume (GMV), fractional anisotropy (FA), axial (AD), radial (RD), and mean diffusivity (MD). Age, sex, total intracranial volume, group, interaction of group and syntax were covariates of no interest. Syntactic diversity was positively correlated with the GMV of the right medial pre- and postcentral gyri and with the FA of the left superior-longitudinal fasciculus (temporal part). Conversely, the AD of the left cingulum bundle and the forceps minor were negatively correlated with syntactic diversity. The AD of the right inferior-longitudinal fasciculus was positively correlated with syntactic complexity. Negative associations were observed between syntactic complexity and the FA of the left cingulum bundle, the right superior-longitudinal fasciculus, and the AD of the forceps minor and the left uncinate fasciculus. Our study showed brain structural correlates of syntactic complexity and diversity across diagnoses and HC. This contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between linguistic and neural substrates in syntax production in psychiatric disorders and HC.
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spelling doaj-art-bb47e5545c1b427989bf960bba5246392025-08-20T02:22:20ZengNature PortfolioSchizophrenia2754-69932024-11-0110111010.1038/s41537-024-00517-6Brain structural associations of syntactic complexity and diversity across schizophrenia spectrum and major depressive disorders, and healthy controlsKatharina Schneider0Nina Alexander1Andreas Jansen2Igor Nenadić3Benjamin Straube4Lea Teutenberg5Florian Thomas-Odenthal6Paula Usemann7Udo Dannlowski8Tilo Kircher9Arne Nagels10Frederike Stein11Department of English and Linguistics, General Linguistics, University of MainzDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of MarburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of MarburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of MarburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of MarburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of MarburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of MarburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of MarburgInstitute for Translational Psychiatry, University of MünsterDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of MarburgDepartment of English and Linguistics, General Linguistics, University of MainzDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of MarburgAbstract Deviations in syntax production have been well documented in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). Recently, we have shown evidence for transdiagnostic subtypes of syntactic complexity and diversity. However, there is a lack of studies exploring brain structural correlates of syntax across diagnoses. We assessed syntactic complexity and diversity of oral language production using four Thematic Apperception Test pictures in a sample of N = 87 subjects (n = 24 major depressive disorder (MDD), n = 30 SSD patients both diagnosed according to DSM-IV-TR, and n = 33 healthy controls (HC)). General linear models were used to investigate the association of syntax with gray matter volume (GMV), fractional anisotropy (FA), axial (AD), radial (RD), and mean diffusivity (MD). Age, sex, total intracranial volume, group, interaction of group and syntax were covariates of no interest. Syntactic diversity was positively correlated with the GMV of the right medial pre- and postcentral gyri and with the FA of the left superior-longitudinal fasciculus (temporal part). Conversely, the AD of the left cingulum bundle and the forceps minor were negatively correlated with syntactic diversity. The AD of the right inferior-longitudinal fasciculus was positively correlated with syntactic complexity. Negative associations were observed between syntactic complexity and the FA of the left cingulum bundle, the right superior-longitudinal fasciculus, and the AD of the forceps minor and the left uncinate fasciculus. Our study showed brain structural correlates of syntactic complexity and diversity across diagnoses and HC. This contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between linguistic and neural substrates in syntax production in psychiatric disorders and HC.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-024-00517-6
spellingShingle Katharina Schneider
Nina Alexander
Andreas Jansen
Igor Nenadić
Benjamin Straube
Lea Teutenberg
Florian Thomas-Odenthal
Paula Usemann
Udo Dannlowski
Tilo Kircher
Arne Nagels
Frederike Stein
Brain structural associations of syntactic complexity and diversity across schizophrenia spectrum and major depressive disorders, and healthy controls
Schizophrenia
title Brain structural associations of syntactic complexity and diversity across schizophrenia spectrum and major depressive disorders, and healthy controls
title_full Brain structural associations of syntactic complexity and diversity across schizophrenia spectrum and major depressive disorders, and healthy controls
title_fullStr Brain structural associations of syntactic complexity and diversity across schizophrenia spectrum and major depressive disorders, and healthy controls
title_full_unstemmed Brain structural associations of syntactic complexity and diversity across schizophrenia spectrum and major depressive disorders, and healthy controls
title_short Brain structural associations of syntactic complexity and diversity across schizophrenia spectrum and major depressive disorders, and healthy controls
title_sort brain structural associations of syntactic complexity and diversity across schizophrenia spectrum and major depressive disorders and healthy controls
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-024-00517-6
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