Sensory Deficits and Distributed Hierarchical Dysfunction in Schizophrenia

• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2010.09030338
• Publication Date: 2010-05-18T03:14:40Z
• Authors: David I. Leitman; Pejman Sehatpour; Beth A. Higgins; John J. Foxe; Gail Silipo; Daniel C. Javitt
• Keywords: Oddball paradigm; Deviance; Superior temporal gyrus; Stimulus (psychology)

Schizophrenia is characterized by widespread cognitive deficits that reflect distributed dysfunction across multiple cortical regions. Here the authors examined relationship between lower- and higher-level within auditory domain using event-related brain potentials mismatch negativity (MMN) P300.Event-related were obtained from 50 schizophrenia patients 21 healthy subjects in two conditions: a standard condition employing fixed differences tones pitch deviants novel individualized matched to each individual's tone-discrimination threshold. The among measures was assessed regression analysis structural equation modeling.In fixed-deviance condition, showed of large effect size generation MMN (d>1.26) P300 (d=1.08) relative comparison subjects. Assessment deviance-detection thresholds required significantly elevated tone-matching (d=0.97). When tone individually adjusted equate performance groups, groups no longer differed amplitude during deviant tones, degree deficit reduced. In both modeling, diagnostic group significant independent predictors reduced amplitude. well explained (>90% variance) dipoles seeded bilateral cortex.These findings confirm extend previous reports impaired basic sensory processing demonstrate contributions early higher-order impairments. Overall, support distributed, hierarchical models impairment schizophrenia, consistent with glutamatergic other neurochemical disorder.