Dichotic listening in schizophrenic patients: effects of previous vs. ongoing auditory hallucinations

Auditory hallucinations (AH) in schizophrenia have been found to be related to both functional and structural brain abnormalities of left temporal lobe language areas. We do not know if these rain abnormalities are state or trait markers for AH. This study tested these alternatives by contrasting schizophrenic patients with ongoing AH and with a previous history of AH. A heterogeneous group of 26 schizophrenic patients was compared with a healthy control group matched for education and age. We used a verbal dichotic listening (DL) test with consonant-vowel syllables to study hemispheric asymmetry and the functional integrity of the left temporal lobe language areas. All subjects were tested during a divided and two focused attention conditions. Our data suggest that abnormal DL asymmetry for language stimuli is a state marker for AH, seen during the perception of AH. In contrast, problems of modulating DL performance by means of attentional control are a trait marker, seen both in patients with ongoing AH and only a history of AH.