Abstract
Background: Neural oscillations support perception, attention, and higher-order decision making. Aberrations in the strength or consistency of these oscillations in response to stimuli may underlie impaired visual perception and attention in schizophrenia. Here, we examined the phase and power of alpha oscillations (8–12 Hz) as well as aspects of beta and theta frequency oscillations during a demanding visual sustained attention task. Methods: Patients with schizophrenia (n = 74) and healthy control participants (n = 68) completed the degraded stimulus continuous performance task during electroencephalography. We used time-frequency analysis to evaluate the consistency (intertrial phase coherence) of the alpha cycle shortly after stimulus presentation (50–250 ms). For oscillation strength, we examined event-related desynchronization in a later window associated with decision making (360–700 ms). Results: Alpha intertrial phase coherence was reduced in schizophrenia, and similar reductions were observed in theta (4–7 Hz) and beta (13–20 Hz), suggesting a lack of responsiveness in slower oscillations to visual stimuli. Alpha and beta event-related desynchronization were also reduced in schizophrenia and associated with worse task performance, increased symptoms, and poorer cognition, suggesting that limited responsiveness of oscillations is related to impairments in the disorder. Individuals with lower intertrial phase coherence had slower resting-state alpha rhythms consistent with dysfunctional oscillations persisting across default and task-related brain states. Conclusions: In schizophrenia, abnormalities in the phase consistency and strength of slower oscillations during visual perception are related to symptoms and cognitive functioning. Altered visual perception and impaired attention in the disorder may be the consequence of aberrant slower oscillations that fail to dynamically reset and modulate in response to stimuli.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 337-345 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 2024 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs Merit Review Award Program (Grant No. 2I01CX000227 [to SRS]) and National Institute of Mental Health (Grant No. K01MH117451 [to ISR]). This article is the result of work supported with resources and use of facilities at the Pittsburgh Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Minneapolis Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The contents of this article do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the U.S. Government.
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs Merit Review Award Program (Grant No. 2I01CX000227 [to SRS]) and National Institute of Mental Health (Grant No. K01MH117451 [to ISR]). This article is the result of work supported with resources and use of facilities at the Pittsburgh Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Minneapolis Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The contents of this article do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the U.S. Government. We thank the study participants for contributions to this research and laboratory staff who carried out clinical and cognitive assessments as well as EEG acquisitions and processing. ISR is now an employee of Akili Interactive, though the work he did supporting this manuscript was solely as an employee of the University of Minnesota. All other authors report no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Society of Biological Psychiatry
Keywords
- Alpha
- Attention
- Oscillations
- Perception
- Schizophrenia
PubMed: MeSH publication types
- Journal Article