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Topographical EEG differences between schizophrenic patients and controls during neuropsychological functional
J Gruzelier1, D Liddiard, L Davis
1Department of Psychiatry, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, London, U.K.
Summary
Schizophrenia patients show impaired right-hemispheric functions, particularly in facial recognition memory. Topographical electroencephalography (EEG) mapping revealed specific brain region anomalies, validating its use in understanding brain electrical activity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Schizophrenia is associated with cognitive deficits and altered brain activity.
- Neuropsychological testing and electroencephalography (EEG) are crucial for assessing brain function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate hemispheric functional differences in schizophrenia patients using neuropsychological tests and topographical EEG.
- To correlate specific cognitive deficits with regional brain electrical activity anomalies.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of 10 schizophrenia patients (DSM III, Active syndrome) with 10 healthy controls on neuropsychological tests.
- Concurrent topographical EEG monitoring using a 28-electrode array brain imager.
- Analysis of EEG beta II amplitude during facial recognition, finger-thumb apposition, and visual fixation tasks.
Main Results:
- Schizophrenia patients exhibited deficits in tasks involving right hemispheric functions, especially facial recognition memory.
- EEG abnormalities were observed in right temporo-parietal regions during the faces task in patients.
- Anomalous EEG patterns were also noted in left anterior and right posterior regions during a finger-thumb test, and bilaterally in the occipito-parietal region during visual fixation.
Conclusions:
- Neuropsychological tests combined with topographical EEG mapping can identify specific functional brain abnormalities in schizophrenia.
- These findings support the utility of functional activation with neuropsychological tests for validating topographical brain electrical activity mapping.
- Right hemispheric dysfunction is a key feature in the active syndrome of schizophrenia.