Cognitive and neural processes in non-clinical auditory hallucinations.
BACKGROUND
The nosological status of auditory hallucinations in non-clinical samples is unclear.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the functional neural basis of non-clinical hallucinations.


METHODS
After selection from 1206 people, 68 participants of high, medium and low hallucination proneness completed a task designed to elicit verbal hallucinatory phenomena under conditions of stimulus degradation. Eight subjects who reported hearing a voice when none was present repeated the task during functional imaging.


RESULTS
During the signal detection task, the high hallucination-prone participants reported a voice to be present when it was not (false alarms) significantly more often than the average or low participants (P<0.03, d.f.=2). On functional magnetic resonance imaging, patterns of activation during these false alarms showed activation in the superior and middle temporal cortex (P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Auditory hallucinatory experiences reported in non-clinical samples appear to be mediated by similar patterns of cerebral activation as found during hallucinations in schizophrenia.
Neuroscience and Psychiatry Unit, The University of Manchester, Stopford Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
Emma
E
Barkus
John
J
Stirling
Richard
R
Hopkins
Shane
S
McKie
Shôn
S
Lewis
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001308:Auditory Perceptual Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D011930:Reaction Time; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*