Searchlight classification based on Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuation and functional connectivity in individuals with obsessive-compulsive symptoms

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Investigating obsessive-compulsive symptoms in subclinical populations provides a useful framework for understanding the early development of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. The present study aimed to apply searchlight classification analysis on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data to identify potential brain markers in subclinical individuals with obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

Methods

In this observational study, 40 college students with high obsessive-compulsive symptom scores and 40 with low obsessive-compulsive symptom scores were recruited from universities in China. We conducted searchlight classification and comparison analysis between the two groups based on Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuation (ALFF), fraction ALFF (fALFF) and resting-state functional connectivity using searchlight classification.

Results

We found that the highest accuracy rate in differentiating between the two groups was 85.00%. Significant discriminating features included the ALFF of the left medial superior frontal gyrus and the functional connectivity between the right thalamus and the bilateral medial superior frontal gyrus, and the right putamen, as well as the functional connectivity between the left caudate and the right insula.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the specific and distinguishing brain functional abnormalities associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

KEYWORDS:

• Obsessive-compulsive symptoms
• searchlight
• Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuation
• functional connectivity

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Programme (2016YFC0906402), the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission Grant (Z161100000216138), the Beijing Training Project for the Leading Talents in S & T (Z151100000315020), the Strategic Priority Research Program (B) of the Chinese Academy of Science (XDB02030002), and the CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Contributions

YM Wang has full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Study concept and design: RCK Chan. Acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data: YM Wang, XL Cai, Y Wang, EFC Cheung, RCK Chan. Drafting of the manuscript: YM Wang, RCK Chan. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: KH Madsen, TA Sørensen, EFC Cheung, A Møller, RT Zhang, RCK Chan. Statistical analysis: YM Wang, XL Cai, KH Madsen. Administrative, technical, or material support: RCK Chan, KH Madsen.

ORCID

Raymond C. K. Chan http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3414-450X

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Programme (2016YFC0906402), the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission Grant (Z161100000216138), the Beijing Training Project for the Leading Talents in S & T (Z151100000315020), the Strategic Priority Research Program (B) of the Chinese Academy of Science (XDB02030002), and the CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology.