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Steady state visual evoked potentials in schizophrenia: A review
Alexander Schielke1, Bart Krekelberg1
1Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States.
Frontiers in Neuroscience
|November 17, 2022
Summary
People with schizophrenia show reduced steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) responses to visual stimuli. This systematic review of SSVEP studies highlights consistent findings of decreased neural oscillations in schizophrenia patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Altered neural oscillatory responses to visual stimuli are implicated in schizophrenia.
- Steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) are a key electrophysiological measure for studying these responses.
- Previous research has explored SSVEPs in schizophrenia, but a systematic synthesis of findings is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and synthesize findings from SSVEP studies in individuals with schizophrenia.
- To identify consistent patterns of altered SSVEP responses across different frequencies and electrode locations.
- To provide recommendations for future SSVEP research in schizophrenia to enhance understanding and diagnostic potential.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of PubMed for studies published between 1954 and 2021.
- Inclusion criteria: studies involving people with schizophrenia, a control group, SSVEPs as primary outcome, and quantitative frequency domain analysis.
- Exclusion criteria: studies using SSVEPs primarily for cognitive process quantification (e.g., attention).
Main Results:
- Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria.
- Consistent findings of decreased SSVEPs across various frequencies and electrode locations in people with schizophrenia compared to controls.
- No studies reported increased SSVEPs; null results were common, suggesting a moderate effect size.
- Most studies focused on alpha and beta frequency bands, with rare investigations in the gamma band.
Conclusions:
- Individuals with schizophrenia exhibit diminished SSVEP responses to visual stimulation.
- The findings underscore the potential of SSVEPs as a biomarker for schizophrenia.
- Future research should explore a wider range of frequencies, particularly the gamma band, and refine experimental designs for improved diagnostic utility.
