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Published on: November 13, 2016
Current Status of Electroencephalography Microstate in Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Ágota Vass1, Kinga Farkas1, Orsolya Lányi1
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
Background:
Electroencephalography microstates are promising biomarkers for psychiatric conditions, although prior meta-analyses mainly focused on schizophrenia (SCH) and mood disorders. This study expands the analysis to a wider range of mental disorders, examining microstate variations across the psychosis and mood spectra and assessing medication effects in SCH.
Methods:
Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we conducted a comprehensive literature search, identifying 24 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Analyses were performed across 2 psychiatric subgroups: psychotic disorders and mood disorders. We further conducted a subgroup analysis within the SCH spectrum to examine differences in microstate properties between medicated and unmedicated patients.
Results:
Microstate C demonstrated a significant increase in coverage and occurrence in patients with SCH, first-episode psychosis, and high risk of psychosis and increased duration in SCH. The absence of increased occurrence in medicated patients with SCH suggests that this feature may be state dependent or modulated by treatment. In contrast, microstate D exhibited significant decreases in duration and coverage in unmedicated patients with SCH, indicating potential links with acute psychotic states.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that microstates C and D could serve as potential biomarkers in SCH, with microstate D alterations linked to acute psychotic symptoms and microstate C potentially reflecting a chronic course or treatment effects. These results emphasize the clinical potential of microstate analysis in psychotic disorder diagnosis and treatment monitoring. The literature on microstate variations in neurodevelopmental and mood disorders is limited, highlighting the need for further research to determine their biomarker potential in these conditions.
Insights
Electroencephalography (EEG) microstates C and D show potential as biomarkers for schizophrenia, with alterations linked to psychosis severity and treatment. Further research is needed for mood and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Biomarker Research
Background:
- Electroencephalography (EEG) microstates are emerging biomarkers for psychiatric conditions.
- Previous meta-analyses primarily focused on schizophrenia and mood disorders.
- This study broadens the scope to include psychosis and mood spectra, including medication effects in schizophrenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate EEG microstate variations across psychotic and mood disorders.
- To assess the impact of medication on schizophrenia microstate properties.
- To identify potential microstate biomarkers for psychiatric conditions.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
- Inclusion of 24 studies across psychotic and mood disorder categories.
- Subgroup analysis of medicated versus unmedicated schizophrenia patients.
Main Results:
- Microstate C showed increased coverage and occurrence in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and increased duration in schizophrenia.
- Microstate C alterations were not significant in medicated schizophrenia patients, suggesting state-dependency or treatment modulation.
- Microstate D exhibited decreased duration and coverage in unmedicated schizophrenia patients, potentially indicating links to acute psychotic states.
Conclusions:
- Microstates C and D show promise as biomarkers for schizophrenia, with D linked to acute symptoms and C to chronic course or treatment effects.
- Microstate analysis holds clinical potential for diagnosing and monitoring psychotic disorders.
- Limited research exists on microstate variations in neurodevelopmental and mood disorders, necessitating further investigation.
