title: Object recognition deficit in early- and adult-onset schizophrenia regardless of age at disease onset.
abstract: Perceptual closure is the ability of the brain to recognize a complete object based on fragmentary information and has been known to be impaired in schizophrenia. Here, the neural integrity of perceptual closure in schizophrenia with different disease onsets was evaluated by examining the generation of event-related potential (ERP) components (P₁₀₀, N₁₈₀, and N(cl)). ERPs were recorded from 40 patients (19 early-onset schizophrenia, "EOS" and 21 adult-onset schizophrenia, "AOS") and 40 age-matched healthy volunteers. Brain electric source analysis (BESA) was applied to localize the cerebral generators underlying perceptual closure. Patients showed an impaired generation of N(cl) and P₁₀₀ components. P₁₀₀ and N(cl) amplitudes were significantly reduced in both AOS and EOS (P<0.01). Moreover, N180 and N(cl) amplitudes were significantly increased with age in controls and patients (P<0.01). In the case of the N(cl), there was also a significant interaction (P<0.001) between age and group, indicating a greater age-dependent N(cl) increase in controls compared to patients. Visual information processing during perceptual closure is impaired in schizophrenia, regardless of age at disease onset. The combined influence of age and group on the amplitude of the N(cl) might support the idea of neurodevelopmental deficits in schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Blumenstr. 8, D-69115 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hedieh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Azadmehr
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rupp
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andermann
authors.forename: Dinka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pavicic
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Herwig
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weisbrod
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Resch
authors.forename: Rieke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oelkers-Ax
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010466:Perceptual Closure; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Closure negativity (N(cl)); N(180); P(100); Perceptual closure