The event-related potential components across psychiatric disorders: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

This study aims to compare and rank event-related potentials (ERP) components among healthy individuals and patients with various psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BD), major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety disorder (AD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science up to March 20th, 2024. Original studies reporting ERP component data in patients with psychiatric disorders were included. Network meta-analyses were conducted to compare ERP components, including P300, mismatch negative (MMN), P50, N1, N2, P1, and P2.

From 47,391 citations, 687 studies were included, with sample sizes ranging from 893 to 16,879. Compared to healthy controls (HC), significant reduction in amplitudes and latency delay of P300, and reduced MMN amplitude were observed in SCZ, BD, and MDD. Additionally, SCZ displayed significant abnormalities in all P50 components. Reductions in N1, N2, and P2 amplitudes were noted in SCZ, with increased N2 latencies in SCZ and BD. The most significant difference across psychosis in EPR components was the MMN amplitude and ERN amplitude between OCD and SCZ. Finally, the composite ERP-score suggested SCZ rank the first in ERP abnormalities. Most primary outcomes were stable in sensitivity analyses.

The findings suggested that SCZ exhibited pronounced electrophysiological abnormalities, particularly in the P300 and P50 components. Moreover, the results provided a comprehensive overview of the varying electrophysiological profiles across different psychoses. These insights support the potential of ERPs as neurophysiological markers reflecting the neural dysfunctions associated with these disorders. Prospero registration: CRD42022361158.