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Updated: May 23, 2026
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Published on: October 30, 2018
Altered face inversion effect and association between face N170 reduction and social dysfunction in patients with
Tomoya Tsunoda1, Shigenobu Kanba, Takefumi Ueno
1Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Summary
Schizophrenia patients show deficits in processing facial information, indicated by reduced N170 brain responses. This facial processing impairment is linked to social functioning difficulties in schizophrenia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Schizophrenia is associated with social interaction deficits.
- Facial recognition impairments are common in schizophrenia.
- Face inversion effect (FIE) on N170 event-related potential (ERP) reflects face-specific processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate FIE in schizophrenia.
- Examine associations between social functioning and N170 in schizophrenia patients.
Main Methods:
- Compared ERPs (N170) to upright and inverted faces/cars in 15 schizophrenia patients and 15 controls.
- Assessed relationships between Social Functioning Scale (SFS) scores and N170 amplitudes.
Main Results:
- Controls showed significant FIE for faces; schizophrenics did not.
- Schizophrenics exhibited reduced bilateral N170 amplitude for faces compared to controls.
- In schizophrenics, SFS scores correlated with N170 amplitudes to upright faces.
Conclusions:
- Schizophrenia patients have deficits in face-specific configuration processing.
- Reduced face-N170 is associated with social dysfunction in schizophrenia.
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