title: Oscillatory cortical network involved in auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH), a prominent symptom of schizophrenia, are often highly distressing for patients. Better understanding of the pathogenesis of hallucinations could increase therapeutic options. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) provides direct measures of neuronal activity and has an excellent temporal resolution, offering a unique opportunity to study AVH pathophysiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve patients (10 paranoid schizophrenia, 2 psychosis not otherwise specified) indicated the presence of AVH by button-press while lying in a MEG scanner. As a control condition, patients performed a self-paced button-press task. AVH-state and non-AVH state were contrasted in a region-of-interest (ROI) approach. In addition, the two seconds before AVH onset were contrasted with the two seconds after AVH onset to elucidate a possible triggering mechanism.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AVH correlated with a decrease in beta-band power in the left temporal cortex. A decrease in alpha-band power was observed in the right inferior frontal gyrus. AVH onset was related to a decrease in theta-band power in the right hippocampus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that AVH are triggered by a short aberration in the theta band in a memory-related structure, followed by activity in language areas accompanying the experience of AVH itself.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center, and Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Utrecht, The Netherlands. R.vanlutterveld@umcutrecht.nl
authors: Remko
authors: R
authors: van Lutterveld
authors: Arjan
authors: A
authors: Hillebrand
authors: Kelly M J
authors: KM
authors: Diederen
authors: Kirstin
authors: K
authors: Daalman
authors: René S
authors: RS
authors: Kahn
authors: Cornelis J
authors: CJ
authors: Stam
authors: Iris E C
authors: IE
authors: Sommer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult