Association between mismatch negativity and voxel-based brain volume in schizophrenia

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Mismatch negativity (MMN) is an auditory evoked potential reflecting pre-attentive sensory discrimination.
• Auditory processing deficits are common in schizophrenia.
• Structural brain abnormalities, including hippocampal volume reduction, are frequently observed in schizophrenia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between MMN and regional brain volumes in patients with schizophrenia.
• To compare MMN amplitudes and brain volumes between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• 36 schizophrenia patients and 14 healthy controls underwent MMN assessment and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
• Brain volumes were analyzed using FreeSurfer, a semi-automated method.
• Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were employed to examine associations between MMN and brain volumes.

Main Results:

• Schizophrenia patients exhibited significantly lower MMN amplitudes compared to controls.
• In schizophrenia, MMN was negatively correlated with left hippocampal and right pars opercularis volumes.
• The association between left hippocampal volume and MMN remained significant even after controlling for confounders.

Conclusions:

• Reduced left hippocampal volume may contribute to abnormal MMN manifestation in schizophrenia.
• The hippocampus's neurobiological contribution to auditory processing in schizophrenia is highlighted by its association with MMN.