Self-reflection and the psychosis-prone brain: an fMRI study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Cortical midline structures (CMS) and insula are crucial for self-reflection.
• Aberrant self-referential processing is linked to schizophrenia and psychosis risk.
• Psychosis proneness (PP) in nonclinical samples may indicate vulnerability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if differences in self-reflective processing are associated with psychosis proneness (PP).
• To examine functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) differences in CMS/insula during self-reflection tasks based on PP levels.

Main Methods:

• Six hundred students completed the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences Questionnaire.
• fMRI scanned 36 students from the extremes of the PP distribution during a self-reflection task.
• Participants judged personality traits about themselves and acquaintances.

Main Results:

• High PP subjects showed altered self-referential processing, including reduced attribution of positive traits to others.
• fMRI revealed differential activation in CMS and insula between self-referential and semantic tasks.
• High PP individuals exhibited stronger left insula activation during self-reflection and altered activation patterns for positive/negative self-related traits.

Conclusions:

• Self-referential processing and its neural basis show similarities between clinical and subclinical psychosis.
• Altered brain mechanisms in self-reflection may be a marker for psychosis vulnerability.
• These findings contribute to understanding the neural underpinnings of psychosis risk.