[Exploration of mentalizing skills with functional imaging methods in schizophrenia: a systematic review]

Patients with schizophrenia have difficulties in appreciating the mental states of others. This deficit is strongly related to the outcome of the disorder. In recent years, considerable efforts have been made in identifying the neuronal processes involved in mentalization. In this review article we summarize the functional neuroimaging studies on mentalization in schizophrenia.

Internet database search was performed to find papers on the subject.

We found eight relevant articles, published between 2000 and 2008. Increased activation can be detected in multiple brain areas including certain cerebellar regions, thalamus, parietal cortex, middle and superior areas of the temporal cortex, and some prefrontal regions. In addition, patients show decreased activation of the inferior areas of the lateral and medial temporal lobe, inferior occipital cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, and the lateral part of the prefrontal cortex near to the insula.

According to the studies patients with schizophrenia demonstrate marked differences in activation pattern during mentalization tasks relative to the healthy control subjects.