title: The cognitive and anatomo-functional basis of reality distortion in schizophrenia: a view from memory event-related potentials.
abstract: This study investigated the neural and cognitive correlates of reality distortion in schizophrenia by using event-related potentials (ERPs) recorded in a recognition memory task for face. This task has been chosen because previous studies have shown that it provides distinct indices related to specific cognitive processes and to the functioning of specific brain regions. ERPs have been recorded in controls and schizophrenia patients separated into high scorers (RD+) and low-scorers (RD-) according to their Reality Distortion score (hallucination and delusion SAPS subscales). The results indicate that RD+ presents abnormalities on various cognitive processes. First, RD+ are deficient at interference inhibition and knowledge integration (reduced P2a and N400 effect). The similar impairments found in RD- suggest that they represent basic traits of the illness. Second, RD+ showed inappropriate stimulus categorization and contextual integration (larger N300 and fronto-central effect). Third, RD+ showed a late index (P600 effect) not different from controls, but larger than in RD-. This result is consistent with a qualitative, rather than quantitative, impairment of mnemonic binding processes (inappropriate binding) in RD+. Since each of the ERP abnormalities observed represents associated with distinct brain dysfunction, the results are further discussed in regard of the respective contribution of the parietal, frontal and hippocampal structures to reality distortion symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche F-Seguin-Hôpital L-H Lafontaine, Montreal, Québec, Canada. fguillem@crfs.umontreal.ca
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guillem
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bicu
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pampoulova
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hooper
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bloom
authors.forename: Marc-Alain
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Messier
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Desautels
authors.forename: Christo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Todorov
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lalonde
authors.forename: J Bruno
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Debruille
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology