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.
Barkus
Emma
E
Neuroscience and Psychiatry Unit, The University of Manchester, Stopford Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
Stirling
John
J
Hopkins
Richard
R
McKie
Shane
S
Lewis
Shôn
S
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*