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Evidence for impaired visual prediction error in schizophrenia
Andres H Neuhaus1, Emily S L Brandt, Terry E Goldberg
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany. andres.neuhaus@charite.de
Schizophrenia Research
|May 1, 2013
Summary
Visual mismatch negativity (MMN) is reduced in schizophrenia patients, suggesting a broader prediction error deficit. This study demonstrates a visual MMN impairment in schizophrenia for the first time.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Mismatch negativity (MMN) is an electrophysiological marker of prediction error.
- Auditory MMN is known to be deficient in schizophrenia.
- This study investigates if visual MMN is also affected in schizophrenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate visual MMN in schizophrenia patients.
- To determine if MMN is a supra-modal deficit in schizophrenia.
- To assess prediction error estimation in schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- A visual oddball task was administered to 22 schizophrenia patients and 24 healthy controls.
- High-density electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded during the task.
- Visual MMN was calculated as a surrogate for prediction error.
Main Results:
- Visual MMN was significantly reduced in schizophrenia patients over posterior extra-striate cortical areas.
- The reduction in visual MMN occurred around 300 ms post-stimulus.
- A large effect size (standardized mean difference of -.98) was observed.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first evidence of a posterior visual MMN deficit in schizophrenia.
- The findings suggest a potential supra-modal MMN deficit in schizophrenia.
- The results support the hypothesis of impaired prediction error estimation in schizophrenia.
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