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EEG coherence and syndromes in schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

R. M. G. Norman ,
A. K. Malla ,
P. C. Williamson ,
S. L. Morrison-Stewart ,
E. Helmes  and
L. Cortese
R. M. G. Norman*
Affiliation:
London Health Sciences Centre, and University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
A. K. Malla
Affiliation:
London Health Sciences Centre, and University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
P. C. Williamson
Affiliation:
London Health Sciences Centre, and University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
S. L. Morrison-Stewart
Affiliation:
North Bay Psychiatry Hospital, North Bay, Ontario
E. Helmes
Affiliation:
Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
L. Cortese
Affiliation:
FRCR London Health Sciences Centre, and University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
*
Dr R. M. G. Norman, Department of Psychiatry, WMCH, London Health Sciences Centre-Victoria Campus, 392 South Street, London, Ontario N6A 4G5, Canada
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Abstract

Background

Frith et al (1995) and others have hypothesised that disruptions in the connection between left frontal and temporal areas of the brain are a central deficit in schizophrenia. In this paper we examine whether such connectivity as assessed by EEG coherence is related to level of symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

Method

For 73 patients with schizophrenia, assessments of the EEG coherence between frontal and temporal regions were carried out under conditions of activation by a mathematical task, and between frontal and occipital regions when performing a visuo-spatial task. We then examined the relationship between these coherence measures and the reality distortion, disorganisation and psychomotor poverty dimensions of symptomatology.

Results

Only left frontal -temporal connectivity was found to have a significant negative relationship to symptomatology. This relationship was, however, specific to reality distortion rather than to symptoms of disorganisation or psychomotor poverty, and may be more characteristic of males than females.

Conclusions

Disruption of frontaltemporal connectivity appears to have a specific relationship to reality distortion symptoms in schizophrenia.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 170 , Issue 5 , May 1997 , pp. 411 - 415
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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