Binding Action and Emotion in First-Episode Schizophrenia

Abstract

Background/Aims: Several components of social cognition are compromised in schizophrenia (SCZ) from the early stage of the illness. In this study we first investigated whether mirror neuron-driven embodied simulation (mnES) is altered in first-episode SCZ. Second, we tested whether emotional cues impact on the mnES in SCZ patients. Methods: Twenty-two SCZ patients and 22 healthy controls (HCs) observed goal-related actions in either a neutral or emotional context during functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Results: Observation of neutral action elicited a lower activity in the frontoparietal network in SCZ patients, as compared to HCs. Particularly, activation in the left inferior parietal lobule in response to the same condition negatively correlated with patients' self-experience disturbances. Moreover, observation of an action performed by an angry agent produced poorer neural activity in the right anterior insula in SCZ patients as compared to HCs. This difference was mostly due to the negative β-values shown by SCZ patients, which positively correlated with their empathy scores. No differences were found contingent upon the observation of an action performed by a happy agent. Conclusion: Our results show that emotional cues allow SCZ patients to partially recover mnES. However, their understanding of the emotional components of the actions of others will likely remain deficient.

Revisiting the Basic Symptom Concept: Toward Translating Risk Symptoms for Psychosis into Neurobiological Targets

“…To date, only five fMRI studies have examined BSs ( 39 – 43 ). Studies examining cerebral activation in patients with schizophrenia consistently reported significant associations between BSs and localized decreased activations in the ventral premotor cortex ( 40 ) and in the left inferior parietal lobule during passive viewing of neutral actions ( 43 ). Notably, increased connectivity between ventral premotor cortex and posterior cingulate cortex was associated with the severity of BSs in first-episode schizophrenia patients ( 39 ).…”

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Correlates of First-Episode Psychoses during Attentional and Memory Task Performance

“…Such a reduced connectivity was absent in patients treated with antipsychotics, and negatively correlated with unusual thought content in untreated patients [52]. Right anterior insular deficit can also be linked to a deficit in understanding the emotional components of the actions of others [53]. The improvement of the anterior insular deficit has been related to clinical improvements obtained with antipsychotic treatment [54].…”

Social cognition in schizophrenia: cognitive and neurobiological aspects

“…They tend to misinterpret the affective keys of the social context, which leads to alterations in SC and behaviour. 26 Once again, this type of limitation in emotional processing is likely to affect patients who are progressing towards their first episode. In fact, recent studies report that patients at this stage show serious defects in processing the emotional component of motor actions that activate the mirror neuron system.…”

“…In fact, recent studies report that patients at this stage show serious defects in processing the emotional component of motor actions that activate the mirror neuron system. 26…”