Neurophysiological Correlates of Configural Face Processing in Schizotypy

Abstract

Background: Face processing impairment in schizophrenia appears to be underpinned by poor configural (as opposed to feature-based) processing; however, few studies have sought to characterize this impairment electrophysiologically. Given the sensitivity of event-related potentials to antipsychotic medications, and the potential for neurophysiological abnormalities to serve as vulnerability markers for schizophrenia, a handful of studies have investigated early visual P100 and face-selective N170 in “at risk” populations. However, this is the first known neurophysiological investigation of configural face processing in a non-clinical schizotypal sample.Methods: Using stimuli designed to engage configural processing in face perception (upright and inverted Mooney and photographic faces), P100 and N170 components were recorded in healthy individuals characterized by high (N = 14) and low (N = 14) schizotypal traits according to the Oxford–Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences.Results: High schizotypes showed significantly reduced N170 amplitudes to inverted photographic faces. Typical N170 latency and amplitude inversion effects (delayed and enhanced N170 to inverted relative to upright photographic faces, and enhanced amplitude to upright versus inverted Mooney faces), were demonstrated by low, but not high, schizotypes. No group differences were shown for P100 analyses.Conclusions: The findings suggest that neurophysiological deficits in processing facial configurations (N170) are apparent in schizotypy, while the early sensory processing (P100) of faces appears intact. This work adds to the mounting evidence for analogous neural processing anomalies at the healthy end of the psychosis continuum.

Exploring electrophysiological correlates of social cognition in subclinical schizotypy

“…Researchers have identified N170 differences related to schizotypy, but the present negative results are also consistent with recent research. Within a broader study protocol, Batty et al showed N170 differences between high and low schizotypes for inverted photographic faces, but this difference was not significant for upright photographic faces, which are similar to our stimuli. Similarly, Schwartzman et al did not find differences in N170 amplitude for individuals with high vs. low visual hallucination proneness.…”

“…However, previous work on ERP and impaired cognition does stimulate some hypotheses about links to specific schizotypal characteristics. The hypotheses to be tested in this study are as follows: reduced N170 response amplitude is associated with higher positive schizotypy and poorer performance on a facial affect recognition task (social cognition); reduced P100 and N170 response amplitude is associated with poorer non‐affective facial identification and memory (social visual processing); reduced P300 response amplitude is associated with higher positive and negative schizotypy and poorer social functioning …”

Face pareidolia in male schizophrenia

“…SZ patients not only exhibit aberrant facial affect recognition, but also deficient face processing such as face recognition, visual scanning of faces, and unfamiliar face matching [51][52][53][54] . Deficits appear to refer to assessment of the spatial relationship between facial features as well as holistic face perception [55][56][57][58][59] .…”

Neurophysiological substrates of configural face perception in schizotypy

“…To date, few studies have investigated neurophysiological correlates in schizotypy (Aichert et al, 2012;Batty et al, 2014;Corlett and Fletcher, 2012). These investigations including our study are important to understand a continuum of psychosis disorders such as schizophrenia.…”