Sustained activation of the hippocampus in response to fearful faces in schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
In healthy individuals, the activity of the medial temporal lobe habituates rapidly with the repeated presentation of a stimulus. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we tested the hypothesis that habituation of the medial temporal lobe is reduced in schizophrenia.


METHODS
During fMRI scanning, fearful and happy faces were presented repeatedly to healthy control subjects (n =16) and patients with schizophrenia (n =18). Habituation of medial temporal lobe structures was measured by comparing the hemodynamic response occurring during the early and late portions of the presentation of each face.


RESULTS
Control subjects demonstrated significant medial temporal lobe habituation to fearful but not to happy faces. In contrast, patients with schizophrenia did not demonstrate medial temporal lobe habituation in response to fearful or happy faces. In a direct, between-group comparison, right hippocampal habituation to fearful faces was significantly greater in control subjects than in the schizophrenia patients. Also, there were no significant differences between the patients and control subjects in the early medial temporal lobe response to fearful faces, suggesting that attenuated hippocampal habituation in schizophrenia is not associated with a reduction in initial activation.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that there is abnormal modulation of hippocampal responses to fearful faces in schizophrenia.
Holt
Daphne J
DJ
Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA. dholt@partners.org
Weiss
Anthony P
AP
Rauch
Scott L
SL
Wright
Christopher I
CI
Zalesak
Martin
M
Goff
Donald C
DC
Ditman
Tali
T
Welsh
Robert C
RC
Heckers
Stephan
S
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005149:Facial Expression; D005239:Fear; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
D010100:Oxygen