1
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Sun J, Osth AF, Feuerriegel D. The late positive event-related potential component is time locked to the decision in recognition memory tasks. Cortex 2024; 176:194-208. [PMID: 38796921 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Two event-related potential (ERP) components are commonly observed in recognition memory tasks: the Frontal Negativity (FN400) and the Late Positive Component (LPC). These components are widely interpreted as neural correlates of familiarity and recollection, respectively. However, the interpretation of LPC effects is complicated by inconsistent results regarding the timing of ERP amplitude differences. There are also mixed findings regarding how LPC amplitudes covary with decision confidence. Critically, LPC effects have almost always been measured using fixed time windows relative to memory probe stimulus onset, yet it has not been determined whether LPC effects are time locked to the stimulus or the recognition memory decision. To investigate this, we analysed a large (n = 132) existing dataset recorded during recognition memory tasks with old/new decisions followed by post-decisional confidence ratings. We used ERP deconvolution to disentangle contributions to LPC effects (defined as differences between hits and correct rejections) that were time locked to either the stimulus or the vocal old/new response. We identified a left-lateralised parietal LPC effect that was time locked to the vocal response rather than probe stimulus onset. We also isolated a response-locked, midline parietal ERP correlate of confidence that influenced measures of LPC amplitudes at left parietal electrodes. Our findings demonstrate that, contrary to widespread assumptions, the LPC effect is time locked to the recognition memory decision and is best measured using response-locked ERPs. By extension, differences in response time distributions across conditions of interest may lead to substantial measurement biases when analysing stimulus-locked ERPs. Our findings highlight important confounding factors that further complicate the interpretation of existing stimulus-locked LPC effects as neural correlates of recollection. We recommend that future studies adopt our analytic approach to better isolate LPC effects and their sensitivity to manipulations in recognition memory tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Sun
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Adam F Osth
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Daniel Feuerriegel
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia
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2
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Xu X, Zhang J, Wang Y, Jiang M. An ERP study on the late stage of Chinese metaphor processing. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1269153. [PMID: 38911227 PMCID: PMC11190191 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1269153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Psycholinguistic models of metaphor processing remain a subject of debate. A prime-probe design using Chinese materials with a specific time span (300 ms) was applied to test the mechanisms of metaphor processing. Conventional and familiarized metaphors were designed as primes, followed by a probe word semantically related to the prime metaphor (MT), a probe word related to the literal meaning of the final word of the prime metaphor (LT), control/unrelated probe word (UT), or non-word. Event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by the probes were recorded to examine metaphor processing. In N400, results revealed that UT and LT elicited significantly more negative waveforms than MT in both primes. MTs and LTs showed no difference between conventional and familiarized metaphors, suggesting that metaphorical meaning may be accessed directly, regardless of whether conventional or familiarized metaphors. The results were generally compatible with the direct processing model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Xu
- Center for Psychology and Cognitive Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jingting Zhang
- Center for Psychology and Cognitive Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- College of National Culture and Cognitive Science, Guizhou Minzu University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yuling Wang
- Artificial Intelligence and Human Language Lab, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing, China
| | - Minghu Jiang
- Center for Psychology and Cognitive Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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3
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Yu Y, Gu F, Li Y, Han J. Conventionality matters in Chinese metaphor but not simile comprehension: evidence from event-related potentials. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1404498. [PMID: 38756492 PMCID: PMC11097955 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1404498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Metaphor and simile, two prevalent forms of figurative language widely employed in daily communication, serve as significant research subjects in linguistics. The Career of Metaphor Theory in cognitive linguistics posits that as conventionality increases, the cognitive mechanisms of metaphor comprehension shift from "comparison" to "categorization." In line with this notion, prior electrophysiological investigations have revealed that novel metaphors elicit a stronger N400 brain response compared to conventional metaphors. However, the observed N400 difference between conventional and novel metaphors may merely stem from the familiarity contrast between them, as conventional metaphors are typically more familiar than novel ones. To address this dichotomy, the present study not only compared the N400 responses between conventional and novel metaphors but also between conventional and novel similes. While conventional and novel similes differ in familiarity, similar to conventional and novel metaphors, both are processed via "comparison" mechanisms. The results revealed that novel metaphors elicited larger N400 amplitudes compared to conventional metaphors, aligning with previous findings. In contrast, no significant N400 differences were observed between conventional and novel similes, suggesting that familiarity disparity is unlikely to account for N400 distinctions. Our findings imply that conventional and novel metaphors undergo distinct cognitive processing mechanisms ("comparison" versus "categorization"), thereby providing further empirical validation for the Career of Metaphor Theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Yu
- Neurocognitive Laboratory for Linguistics and Semiotics, College of Literature and Journalism, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Digital Convergence Laboratory of Chinese Cultural Inheritance and Global Communication, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Feng Gu
- Neurocognitive Laboratory for Linguistics and Semiotics, College of Literature and Journalism, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Digital Convergence Laboratory of Chinese Cultural Inheritance and Global Communication, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yongqing Li
- Neurocognitive Laboratory for Linguistics and Semiotics, College of Literature and Journalism, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Digital Convergence Laboratory of Chinese Cultural Inheritance and Global Communication, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianghua Han
- Neurocognitive Laboratory for Linguistics and Semiotics, College of Literature and Journalism, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Digital Convergence Laboratory of Chinese Cultural Inheritance and Global Communication, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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4
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Diao M, Demchenko I, Asare G, Chen Y, Debruille JB. Quantifying the effects of practicing a semantic task according to subclinical schizotypy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2900. [PMID: 38316943 PMCID: PMC10844607 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53468-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The learning ability of individuals within the schizophrenia spectrum is crucial for their psychosocial rehabilitation. When selecting a treatment, it is thus essential to consider the impact of medications on practice effects, an important type of learning ability. To achieve this end goal, a pre-treatment test has to be developed and tested in healthy participants first. This is the aim of the current work, which takes advantage of the schizotypal traits present in these participants to preliminary assess the test's validity for use among patients. In this study, 47 healthy participants completed the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) and performed a semantic categorization task twice, with a 1.5-hour gap between sessions. Practice was found to reduce reaction times (RTs) in both low- and high-SPQ scorers. Additionally, practice decreased the amplitudes of the N400 event-related brain potentials elicited by semantically matching words in low SPQ scorers only, which shows the sensitivity of the task to schizotypy. Across the two sessions, both RTs and N400 amplitudes had good test-retest reliability. This task could thus be a valuable tool. Ongoing studies are currently evaluating the impact of fully deceptive placebos and of real antipsychotic medications on these practice effects. This round of research should subsequently assist psychiatrists in making informed decisions about selecting the most suitable medication for the psychosocial rehabilitation of a patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyi Diao
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurosciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ilya Demchenko
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurosciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gifty Asare
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yelin Chen
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - J Bruno Debruille
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Neurosciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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5
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Yang J, Huang L. Comprehension of metaphors in patients with mild cognitive impairment: Evidence from behavioral and ERP data. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2023; 235:103894. [PMID: 36940588 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.103894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of metaphor comprehension reflects the cognitive status of elders. This study explored the ability of Chinese aMCI patients to access metaphorical meaning based on linguistic models of metaphor processing. ERPs were recorded from 30 aMCI patients and 30 control participants when judging the meaningfulness of literal sentences, conventional metaphors, novel metaphors, and anomalous expressions. The lower accuracy of the aMCI group revealed an impairment in metaphoric comprehension ability, but this difference was not reflected in ERPs data. In all participants, anomalous endings to sentences evoked the most negative N400 amplitude, whereas conventional metaphors evoked the smallest N400 amplitude. The LPC amplitude might be masked by a metaphor rebound effect when processing novel metaphors, which was consistent with the Graded Salience Model that novel metaphors needed further semantic integration. The results suggest that the aMCI patients may suffer an impairment in metaphorical meaning recognition, which the declined working memory may cause.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Yang
- Tongji Univ, Research Center for Ageing, Language and Care, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Lihe Huang
- Tongji Univ, Research Center for Ageing, Language and Care, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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6
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Sun L, Chen H, Zhang C, Cong F, Li X, Hämäläinen T. Decoding brain activities of literary metaphor comprehension: An event-related potential and EEG spectral analysis. Front Psychol 2022; 13:913521. [PMID: 35941953 PMCID: PMC9356233 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.913521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel metaphors in literary texts (hereinafter referred to as literary metaphors) seem to be more creative and open-ended in meaning than metaphors in non-literary texts (non-literary metaphors). However, some disagreement still exists on how literary metaphors differ from non-literary metaphors. Therefore, this study explored the neural mechanisms of literary metaphors extracted from modern Chinese poetry by using the methods of Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) and Event-Related Spectral Perturbations (ERSPs), as compared with non-literary conventional metaphors and literal expressions outside literary texts. Forty-eight subjects were recruited to make the semantic relatedness judgment after reading the prime-target pairs in three linguistic conditions. According to the ERPs results, the earliest differences were presented during the time window of P200 component (170–260 ms) in the frontal and central areas, with the amplitude of P200 for literary metaphors more positive than the other two conditions, reflecting the early allocation of attention and the early conscious experience of the experimental stimuli. Meanwhile, significant differences were presented during the time window of N400 effect (430–530 ms), with the waveform of literary metaphors more negative than others in the frontal and central topography of scalp distributions, suggesting more efforts in retrieving conceptual knowledge for literary metaphors. The ERSPs analysis revealed that the frequency bands of delta and theta were both involved in the cognitive process of literary metaphor comprehension, with delta band distributed in the frontal and central scalp and theta band in parietal and occipital electrodes. Increases in the two power bands during different time windows provided extra evidences that the processing of literary metaphors required more attention and effort than non-literary metaphors and literal expressions in the semantic related tasks, suggesting that the cognitive process of literary metaphors was distinguished by different EEG spectral patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Sun
- School of Foreign Languages, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
- Faculty of Information Technology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Hongjun Chen
- School of Foreign Languages, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
- *Correspondence: Hongjun Chen,
| | - Chi Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Fengyu Cong
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Xueyan Li
- School of Foreign Languages, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Timo Hämäläinen
- Faculty of Information Technology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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7
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Impairment of semantic composition in schizophrenia: An ERP study with lexical stimuli. Neuropsychologia 2022; 171:108241. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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8
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Koller S, Müller N, Kauschke C. The Elephant in the Room: A Systematic Review of Stimulus Control in Neuro-Measurement Studies on Figurative Language Processing. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 15:791374. [PMID: 35126074 PMCID: PMC8814624 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.791374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The processing of metaphors and idioms has been the subject of neuroscientific research for several decades. However, results are often contradictory, which can be traced back to inconsistent terminology and stimulus control. In this systematic review of research methods, we analyse linguistic aspects of 116 research papers which used EEG, fMRI, PET, MEG, or NIRS to investigate the neural processing of the two figurative subtypes metaphor and idiom. We critically examine the theoretical foundations as well as stimulus control by performing a systematic literature synthesis according to the PRISMA guidelines. We explicitly do not analyse the findings of the studies but instead focus on four primary aspects: definitions of figurative language and its subtypes, linguistic theory behind the studies, control for factors influencing figurative language processing, and the relationship between theoretical and operational definitions. We found both a lack and a broad variety in existing definitions and operationalisation, especially in regard to familiarity and conventionality. We identify severe obstacles in the comparability and validation potential of the results of the papers in our review corpus. We propose the development of a consensus in fundamental terminology and more transparency in the reporting of stimulus design in the research on figurative language processing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nadine Müller
- Department of German Studies and Arts, Institute of German Linguistics, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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9
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Adamczyk P, Jáni M, Ligeza TS, Płonka O, Błądziński P, Wyczesany M. On the Role of Bilateral Brain Hypofunction and Abnormal Lateralization of Cortical Information Flow as Neural Underpinnings of Conventional Metaphor Processing Impairment in Schizophrenia: An fMRI and EEG Study. Brain Topogr 2021; 34:537-554. [PMID: 33973137 PMCID: PMC8195899 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-021-00849-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Figurative language processing (e.g. metaphors) is commonly impaired in schizophrenia. In the present study, we investigated the neural activity and propagation of information within neural circuits related to the figurative speech, as a neural substrate of impaired conventional metaphor processing in schizophrenia. The study included 30 schizophrenia outpatients and 30 healthy controls, all of whom were assessed with a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) punchline-based metaphor comprehension task including literal (neutral), figurative (metaphorical) and nonsense (absurd) endings. The blood oxygenation level-dependent signal was recorded with 3T MRI scanner and direction and strength of cortical information flow in the time course of task processing was estimated with a 64-channel EEG input for directed transfer function. The presented results revealed that the behavioral manifestation of impaired figurative language in schizophrenia is related to the hypofunction in the bilateral fronto-temporo-parietal brain regions (fMRI) and various differences in effective connectivity in the fronto-temporo-parietal circuit (EEG). Schizophrenia outpatients showed an abnormal pattern of connectivity during metaphor processing which was related to bilateral (but more pronounced at the left hemisphere) hypoactivation of the brain. Moreover, we found reversed lateralization patterns, i.e. a rightward-shifted pattern during metaphor processing in schizophrenia compared to the control group. In conclusion, the presented findings revealed that the impairment of the conventional metaphor processing in schizophrenia is related to the bilateral brain hypofunction, which supports the evidence on reversed lateralization of the language neural network and the existence of compensatory recruitment of alternative neural circuits in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemysław Adamczyk
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 6, 30-060, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Martin Jáni
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 6, 30-060, Kraków, Poland.,Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tomasz S Ligeza
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 6, 30-060, Kraków, Poland
| | - Olga Płonka
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 6, 30-060, Kraków, Poland
| | - Piotr Błądziński
- Community Psychiatry and Psychosis Research Center, Chair of Psychiatry, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Miroslaw Wyczesany
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 6, 30-060, Kraków, Poland
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10
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Lepock JR, Ahmed S, Mizrahi R, Gerritsen CJ, Maheandiran M, Bagby RM, Korostil M, Kiang M. N400 event-related brain potential as an index of real-world and neurocognitive function in patients at clinical high risk for schizophrenia. Early Interv Psychiatry 2021; 15:68-75. [PMID: 31883227 DOI: 10.1111/eip.12911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIM The N400 event-related potential is a neurophysiological index of cognitive processing of real-world knowledge. In healthy populations, N400 amplitude is smaller in response to stimuli that are more related to preceding context. This 'N400 semantic priming effect' is thought to reflect activation of contextually related information in semantic memory (SM). N400 semantic priming deficits have been found in schizophrenia, and in patients at clinical high risk (CHR) for this disorder. Because this abnormality in processing relationships between meaningful stimuli could affect ability to navigate everyday situations, we hypothesized it would be associated with real-world functional impairment in CHR patients. Second, we hypothesized it would correlate with global neurocognitive impairment in this group. METHODS We measured N400 semantic priming in 35 CHR patients who viewed prime words each followed by a related or unrelated target word, at stimulus-onset asynchrony (SOA) of 300 or 750 ms. We measured academic/occupational and social function with the global function (GF): Role and Social scales, and cognitive function with the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). RESULTS Decreased N400 semantic priming at the 300-ms SOA correlated with lower GF:Role scores. Decreased N400 semantic priming at the 750-ms SOA correlated with lower MCCB composite scores. CONCLUSIONS Deficits in activating contextually related concepts in SM over short time intervals may contribute to functional impairment in CHR patients. Furthermore, N400 priming deficits over longer intervals may be a biomarker of global cognitive dysfunction in this population. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether these deficits are associated with schizophrenia risk within this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R Lepock
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sarah Ahmed
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Romina Mizrahi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cory J Gerritsen
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - R Michael Bagby
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michele Korostil
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Kiang
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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11
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de Leede-Smith S, Roodenrys S, Horsley L, Matrini S, Mison E, Barkus E. Role for Positive Schizotypy and Hallucination Proneness in Semantic Processing. Front Psychol 2020; 11:542002. [PMID: 32982899 PMCID: PMC7492677 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.542002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Semantic processing underpins the organization of verbal information for both storage and retrieval. Deficits in semantic processing are associated with both the risk for and symptoms presented in schizophrenia. However, studies are mixed and could reflect the confounding effects of medication and symptom heterogeneity. Therefore, we considered whether two risk phenotypes, positive schizotypy and hallucinatory predisposition, present in the general population were associated with differential responding profiles for a semantic processing task. One hundred and eighty-three participants completed the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire, Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale, National Adult Reading Test, a handedness measure, and a computerized semantic relatedness judgment task. Pairs of words were related through their dominant or subordinate meanings, or unrelated. Participants were divided into four groups using a mean split on cognitive-perceptual (positive) schizotypy and hallucination proneness. Significant differences between groups were found for reaction time on the semantic relatedness task, with the high cognitive-perceptual schizotypy groups responding significantly slower to all word pairs compared to their low scoring counterparts. There was some evidence that high hallucination proneness was associated with significantly faster reaction times which may reflect disinhibitive processes, however additional support is required. The results suggest that these two components of psychosis risk are associated with different patterns of responding to semantic processing. More diffuse activation of semantic information appeared to be associated with positive schizotypy, while those predisposed to hallucinations appeared to respond quicker. These results have significant implications in the re-conceptualization of hallucination proneness as distinct from positive schizotypy. Additional research is required to investigate the association between psychotic-like experiences separate from personality variables such as positive schizotypy and semantic processing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Steven Roodenrys
- Cognitive Basis of Atypical Behaviour Initiative (CBABi), School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Lauren Horsley
- School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Shannen Matrini
- School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Erin Mison
- School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Emma Barkus
- Cognitive Basis of Atypical Behaviour Initiative (CBABi), School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.,School of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
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12
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The N400 event-related brain potential response: A window on deficits in predicting meaning in schizophrenia. Int J Psychophysiol 2019; 145:65-69. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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13
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Dynamics of impaired humour processing in schizophrenia - An EEG effective connectivity study. Schizophr Res 2019; 209:113-128. [PMID: 31103215 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Specific language and communication abilities, such as humour comprehension, are commonly impaired in schizophrenia. The present study investigates the dynamics of the humour-related neural network underlying this deficit. Specifically, we focused on the abnormalities of information flow in schizophrenia within the fronto-temporo-parietal circuit. We estimated the direction and strength of cortical information flow in the time course of humour processing by the EEG Directed Transfer Function. The study included 40 schizophrenia outpatients and 40 healthy controls (age-sex-education matched) assessed with an EEG punchline-based humour comprehension task (written and cartoon jokes). The linear mixed models procedure was used to test group effects across three processes: 1. incongruity detection, 2. incongruity resolution and elaboration, 3. complete humour processing. Conjunction maps for both types of jokes were created to investigate fundamental between-group differences, beyond the context of modality. Clinical subjects indicated a lower level of understanding of the funny punchlines, indicated absurd punchlines as more understandable and gave higher funniness ratings to both absurd and neutral punchlines. The EEG effective connectivity results revealed that humour processing in schizophrenia engages alternative circuits, exhibiting a pronounced abnormal leftward shifted lateralization related to diminished activity of the right hemisphere in fronto-temporo-parietal regions. In conclusion, the present paper presents the dynamics of cortical propagation of information in the humour-related circuit as a neural substrate of humour impairment in schizophrenia.
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14
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Rossetti I, Brambilla P, Papagno C. Metaphor Comprehension in Schizophrenic Patients. Front Psychol 2018; 9:670. [PMID: 29867648 PMCID: PMC5954116 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
People with schizophrenia often exhibit difficulties to comprehend figurative expressions, such as irony, proverbs, metaphors and idioms, with a general proneness to neglect the figurative meaning and to accept the more literal one. This inability is usually referred to as concretism and it constitutes a clinical manifestation of the broader language dysfunction called Formal Thought Disorder. The current review focuses on the neuropsychological and neuroanatomical underpinnings of schizophrenics’ misinterpretation of a subgroup of figurative expressions, i.e., metaphors. Metaphors are heterogeneous in nature, classifiable according to various criteria; for instance, metaphors can be conventional and familiar, or conversely, novel and unusual. These linguistic distinctions are substantial because the comprehension of the different types of metaphor entails partially different cognitive strategies and neural substrates. This review gathers studies that have directly investigated which neurocognitive deficits explain the inefficient comprehension of metaphor in schizophrenia. Several impairments have been put forward, such as general intelligence, executive functions and theory of mind deficits. Moreover, the neural correlates of metaphor comprehension in schizophrenia, like the left inferior/medial frontal gyrus and the temporal lobe, match those cortices affected by the neuropathology of schizophrenia. Even though the causal defective mechanism is still a matter of investigation, we provide an attempt to integrate existing findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ileana Rossetti
- Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Scientific Institute IRCCS "E. Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy.,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Costanza Papagno
- Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Center for Mind/Brain Sciences and Centro di Riabilitazione Neurocognitiva, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
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15
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Pawełczyk A, Kotlicka-Antczak M, Łojek E, Ruszpel A, Pawełczyk T. Schizophrenia patients have higher-order language and extralinguistic impairments. Schizophr Res 2018; 192:274-280. [PMID: 28438437 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2017.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The extralinguistic and paralinguistic aspects of the language refer to higher-order language functions such as lexical-semantic processes, prosody, indirect speech acts or discourse comprehension and production. Studies suggest that these processes are mediated by the Right Hemisphere (RH) and there is also some evidence of RH dysfunctions in schizophrenia. The aim of the paper is to investigate the extralinguistic and paralinguistic processing mediated by Right Hemisphere in schizophrenia patients using a validated and standardized battery of tests. METHODS Two groups of participants were examined: a schizophrenia sample (40 participants) and a control group (39 participants). Extralinguistic and paralinguistic processing was assessed in all subjects by the Polish version of the Right Hemisphere Language Battery (RHLB-PL), which measures comprehension of implicit information, naming, understanding humor, inappropriate remarks and comments, explanation and understanding of metaphors, understanding emotional and language prosody and discourse understanding. RESULTS Schizophrenia patients scored significantly lower than controls in subtests measuring comprehension of implicit information, interpretation of humor, explanation of metaphors, inappropriate remarks and comments, discernment of emotional and language prosody and comprehension of discourse. No differences were observed in naming, understanding metaphors or in processing visuo-spatial information. CONCLUSIONS Extralinguistic and paralinguistic dysfunctions appear to be present in schizophrenia patients and they suggest that RH processing may be disturbed in that group of patients. As the disturbances of higher-order language processes mediated by the RH may cause serious impairments in the social communication of patients, it is worth evaluating them during clinical examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Pawełczyk
- Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
| | | | - Emila Łojek
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, University of Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Ruszpel
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, University of Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Pawełczyk
- Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Poland
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16
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Terrien S, Gobin P, Iakimova G, Coutté A, Thuaire F, Baltazart V, Mazzola-Pomietto P, Besche-Richard C. Electrophysiological correlates of emotional meaning in context in relation to facets of schizotypal personality traits: A dimensional study. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2016; 70:141-50. [PMID: 26482112 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2015] [Revised: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The aim of this study was to investigate the neurocognitive processes mediating the processing of emotional information during the integration of contextual and social information in a schizotypal population. METHODS One hundred and thirty-one healthy participants were evaluated using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire and event-related potentials were recorded during a linguistic task in which participants read sentence pairs describing short social situations to themselves. The first sentence implicitly conveyed the positive or negative emotional state of a character. The second sentence was emotionally congruent or incongruent with the first sentence. RESULTS Across our overall sample, our results revealed a greater N400 effect at right sites than left sites, whereas the late positive component effect was only observed at left sites. Concerning the correlation results, we observed a negative link between positive and global schizotypy and N400 modulation in response to congruent targets for positive context sentences. Results also showed a positive correlation between negative schizotypy and late positive component modulation in response to congruent targets for negative context sentences. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the different facets of the schizotypal personality traits influenced the integration of emotional context at the level of both early and later-mobilized neurocognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Terrien
- Cognition, Health, Socialisation Laboratory, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims
| | - Pamela Gobin
- Cognition, Health, Socialisation Laboratory, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims
| | - Galina Iakimova
- Anthropology, Cognitive and Social Psychology Laboratory, LAPCOS, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice
| | - Alexandre Coutté
- Anthropology, Cognitive and Social Psychology Laboratory, LAPCOS, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice
| | | | - Véronique Baltazart
- Cognition, Health, Socialisation Laboratory, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims
| | | | - Chrystel Besche-Richard
- Cognition, Health, Socialisation Laboratory, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims.,French Universitary Institute, Paris, France
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17
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Abstract
In this review, we focus on the ability of people with schizophrenia to correctly perceive the meaning of idioms; figurative language expressions in which intended meaning is not derived from the meaning of constituent words. We collate evidence on how idiom perception is impaired, ascertain the clinical relevance of this impairment, and consider possible psychological and neural mechanisms behind the impairment. In reviewing extant literature, we searched the PubMed database, from 1975-2014, focussing on articles that directly concerned schizophrenia and idioms, with follow up searches to explore the viability of possible underlying mechanisms. We learn that there is clear evidence of impairment, with a tendency to err towards literal interpretations unless the figurative meaning is salient, and despite contextual cues to figurative interpretations. Given the importance of idioms in everyday language, the potential impact is significant. Clinically, impaired idiom perception primarily relates to positive symptoms of schizophrenia, but also to negative symptoms. The origins of the impairment remain speculation, with impaired executive function, impaired semantic functions, and impaired context processing all proposed to explain the phenomenon. We conclude that a possible contributory mechanism at the neural level is an impaired dorsolateral prefrontal cortex system for cognitive control over semantic processing.
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18
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Terrien S, Gobin P, Coutté A, Thuaire F, Iakimova G, Mazzola-Pomietto P, Besche-Richard C. Emotional Meaning in Context in Relation to Hypomanic Personality Traits: An ERP Study. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0138877. [PMID: 26394230 PMCID: PMC4578890 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2015] [Accepted: 09/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to integrate contextual information is important for the comprehension of emotional and social situations. While some studies have shown that emotional processes and social cognition are impaired in people with hypomanic personality trait, no results have been reported concerning the neurophysiological processes mediating the processing of emotional information during the integration of contextual social information in this population. We therefore chose to conduct an ERP study dealing with the integration of emotional information in a population with hypomanic personality trait. Healthy participants were evaluated using the Hypomanic Personality Scale (HPS), and ERPs were recorded during a linguistic task in which participants silently read sentence pairs describing short social situations. The first sentence implicitly conveyed the positive or negative emotional state of a character. The second sentence was emotionally congruent or incongruent with the first sentence. We analyzed the difference in the modulation of two components (N400 and LPC) in response to the emotional word present at the end of the “target” sentences as a function of the HPS score and the emotional valence of the context. Our results showed a possible modulation of the N400 component in response to both positive and negative context among the participants who scored high on the Mood Volatility subscale of the Hypomanic Personality Scale. These results seem to indicate that the participants with hypomanic personality traits exhibited specificities in the integration of emotions at the level of the early-mobilized neurocognitive processes (N400). Participants with hypomanic personality traits found it difficult to integrate negative emotional contexts, while simultaneously exhibiting an enhanced integration of positive emotional contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Terrien
- Laboratoire Cognition, Santé, Socialisation, C2S, EA 6291, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Pamela Gobin
- Laboratoire Cognition, Santé, Socialisation, C2S, EA 6291, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Alexandre Coutté
- Laboratoire d'Anthropologie et de Psychologie Cognitive et Sociale, LAPCOS, EA 7278, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France
| | - Flavien Thuaire
- Institut des Neurosciences de la Timone, CNRS UMR 7289, Marseille, France
| | - Galina Iakimova
- Laboratoire d'Anthropologie et de Psychologie Cognitive et Sociale, LAPCOS, EA 7278, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France
| | | | - Chrystel Besche-Richard
- Laboratoire Cognition, Santé, Socialisation, C2S, EA 6291, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France; Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
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19
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Schneider S, Wagels L, Haeussinger FB, Fallgatter AJ, Ehlis AC, Rapp AM. Haemodynamic and electrophysiological markers of pragmatic language comprehension in schizophrenia. World J Biol Psychiatry 2015; 16:398-410. [PMID: 25816925 DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2015.1019359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The present study aimed at investigating neurophysiological markers of language perception in schizophrenia using simultaneous near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and event-related potentials (ERPs), which have been proven to be useful for studying language processing abilities in psychiatric patients. The study shall help to integrate previous findings from ERP and fMRI studies on figurative language comprehension in schizophrenia and elucidate how electrophysiological and haemodynamic markers of language processing are related. METHODS Twenty-two healthy subjects and 22 schizophrenia patients judged 120 sentences regarding their meaningfulness. Phrases were literal, metaphoric, or meaningless. EEG-fNIRS signals were recorded throughout the entire experiment. RESULTS Schizophrenia patients showed deficient and delayed sentence comprehension. Both the early N400 and left-hemispheric activation during language comprehension were altered in patients. Correlation analyses showed that metaphor-related ERPs were strongly linked to haemodynamic cortical activity in healthy subjects, but not in patients. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate group differences in cortical electrophysiological and haemodynamic activation that represent rather general impairments in the processing of complex language. Simultaneous EEG/NIRS applications are useful to depict these neural markers and to investigate their relationship. Future studies are needed to clarify the nature of respective anomalies and their potential as putative neural markers in schizophrenia research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Schneider
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany
| | - Lisa Wagels
- b Department of Psychiatry , Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University of Aachen , Aachen , Germany
| | - Florian B Haeussinger
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany
| | - Andreas J Fallgatter
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany
| | - Ann-Christine Ehlis
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany
| | - Alexander M Rapp
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany
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20
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Ribolsi M, Feyaerts J, Vanheule S. Metaphor in psychosis: on the possible convergence of Lacanian theory and neuro-scientific research. Front Psychol 2015; 6:664. [PMID: 26089805 PMCID: PMC4452801 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Starting from the theories of leading psychiatrists, like Kraepelin and de Clérambault, the French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan (1901–1981) formulated an original theory of psychosis, focusing on the subject and on the structuring role of language. In particular, he postulated that language makes up the experience of subjectivity and that psychosis is marked by the absence of a crucial metaphorization process. Interestingly, in contemporary psychiatry there is growing empirical evidence that schizophrenia is characterized by abnormal interpretation of verbal and non-verbal information, with a great difficulty to put such information in the appropriate context. Neuro-scientific contributions have investigated this difficulty suggesting the possibility of interpreting schizophrenia as a semiotic disorder which makes the patients incapable of understanding the figurative meaning of the metaphoric speech, probably due to a dysfunction of certain right hemisphere areas, such as the right temporoparietal junction and the right superior/middle temporal gyrus. In this paper we first review the Lacanian theory of psychosis and neuro-scientific research in the field of symbolization and metaphoric speech. Next, we discuss possible convergences between both approaches, exploring how they might join and inspire one another. Clinical and neurophysiological research implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Ribolsi
- Clinica Psichiatrica, Dipartimento di Medicina dei Sistemi, Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata , Rome, Italy ; Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Neuroscience Department, "Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù", Research Hospital , Rome, Italy
| | - Jasper Feyaerts
- Department of Psychoanalysis and Clinical Consulting, Ghent University , Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stijn Vanheule
- Department of Psychoanalysis and Clinical Consulting, Ghent University , Ghent, Belgium
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21
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Zeev-Wolf M, Faust M, Levkovitz Y, Harpaz Y, Goldstein A. Magnetoencephalographic evidence of early right hemisphere overactivation during metaphor comprehension in schizophrenia. Psychophysiology 2015; 52:770-81. [PMID: 25603893 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.12408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2014] [Accepted: 12/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Whereas language processing in neurotypical brains is left lateralized, individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) display a bilateral or reversed pattern of lateralization. We used MEG to investigate the implications of this atypicality on fine (left hemisphere) versus coarse (right hemisphere) semantic processing. Ten SZ and 14 controls were presented with fine (conventional metaphor, literal, and unrelated expressions) and coarse (novel metaphor) linguistic stimuli. Results showed greater activation of the right hemisphere for novel metaphors and greater bilateral activation for unrelated expressions at the M170 window in SZ. Moreover, at the M350, SZ showed reduced bilateral activation. We conclude that SZ are overreliant on early-stage coarse semantic processing. As a result, they jump too quickly to remote conclusions, with limited control over the meanings they form. This may explain one of the core symptoms of the disorder-loose associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maor Zeev-Wolf
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.,Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Miriam Faust
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.,Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Yechiel Levkovitz
- Emotion-Cognition Research Center, The Shalvata Mental Health Care Center, Hod-Hasharon, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Yuval Harpaz
- Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Abraham Goldstein
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.,Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
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22
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Mashal N, Vishne T, Laor N. The role of the precuneus in metaphor comprehension: evidence from an fMRI study in people with schizophrenia and healthy participants. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:818. [PMID: 25360101 PMCID: PMC4199320 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Comprehension of conventional and novel metaphors involves traditional language-related cortical regions as well as non-language related regions. While semantic processing is crucial for understanding metaphors, it is not sufficient. Recently the precuneus has been identified as a region that mediates complex and highly integrated tasks, including retrieval of episodic memory and mental imagery. Although the understanding of non-literal language is relatively easy for healthy individuals, people with schizophrenia exhibit deficits in this domain. The present study aims to examine whether people with schizophrenia differentially recruit the precuneus, extending to the superior parietal (SP) cortex (SPL), to support their deficit in metaphor comprehension. We also examine interregional associations between the precuneus/SPL and language-related brain regions. Twelve people with schizophrenia and twelve healthy controls were scanned while silently reading literal word pairs, conventional metaphors, and novel metaphors. People with schizophrenia showed reduced comprehension of both conventional and novel metaphors. Analysis of functional connectivity found that the correlations between activation in the left precuneus/SPL and activation in the left posterior superior temporal sulcus (PSTS) were significant for both literal word pairs and novel metaphors, and significant correlations were found between activation in the right precuneus/SPL and activation in the right PSTS for the three types of semantic relations. These results were found in the schizophrenia group alone. Furthermore, relative to controls, people with schizophrenia demonstrated increased activation in the right precuneus/SPL. Our results may suggest that individuals with schizophrenia use mental imagery to support comprehension of both literal and metaphoric language. In particular, our findings indicate over-integration of language and non-language brain regions during more effortful processes of novel metaphor comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nira Mashal
- School of Education, Bar-Ilan University Ramat-Gan, Israel ; Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Tali Vishne
- Tel Aviv-Brull Community Mental Health Center Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nathaniel Laor
- Tel Aviv-Brull Community Mental Health Center Tel Aviv, Israel ; Child Study Center, Yale University New Haven, CT, USA
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23
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Pesciarelli F, Gamberoni T, Ferlazzo F, Lo Russo L, Pedrazzi F, Melati E, Cacciari C. Is the comprehension of idiomatic sentences indeed impaired in paranoid Schizophrenia? A window into semantic processing deficits. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:799. [PMID: 25346676 PMCID: PMC4190991 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2014] [Accepted: 09/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia patients have been reported to be more impaired in comprehending non-literal than literal language since early studies on proverbs. Preference for literal rather than figurative interpretations continues to be documented. The main aim of this study was to establish whether patients are indeed able to use combinatorial semantic processing to comprehend literal sentences and both combinatorial analysis, and retrieval of pre-stored meanings to comprehend idiomatic sentences. The study employed a sentence continuation task in which subjects were asked to decide whether a target word was a sensible continuation of a previous sentence fragment to investigate idiomatic and literal sentence comprehension in patients with paranoid schizophrenia. Patients and healthy controls were faster in accepting sensible continuations than in rejecting non-sensible ones in both literal and idiomatic sentences. Patients were as accurate as controls in comprehending literal and idiomatic sentences, but they were overall slower than controls in all conditions. Once the contribution of cognitive covariates was partialled out, the response times (RTs) to sensible idiomatic continuations of patients did not significantly differ from those of controls. This suggests that the state of residual schizophrenia did not contribute to slower processing of sensible idioms above and beyond the cognitive deficits that are typically associated with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Pesciarelli
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neurological Sciences, University of Modena Modena, Italy
| | - Tania Gamberoni
- Centro Salute Mentale Pavullo Modena, Italy ; Villa Igea Private Hospital Modena, Italy
| | - Fabio Ferlazzo
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Cristina Cacciari
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neurological Sciences, University of Modena Modena, Italy
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24
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Test-retest reliability of N400 event-related brain potential measures in a word-pair semantic priming paradigm in patients with schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2014; 158:195-203. [PMID: 25015029 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2014.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2014] [Revised: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The N400 event-related brain potential (ERP), a negative voltage deflection occurring approximately 400ms after onset of any meaningful stimulus, is reduced in amplitude when the stimulus is preceded by related context. Previous work has found this N400 semantic priming effect to be decreased in schizophrenia, suggesting impairment in using meaningful context to activate related concepts in semantic memory. Thus, N400 amplitude may be a useful biomarker of abnormal semantic processing and its response to treatment in schizophrenia. To help assess the validity of N400 amplitude as a longitudinal measure in schizophrenia, we evaluated its test-retest reliability. ERPs were recorded in sixteen schizophrenia patients who viewed prime words, each followed at 300- or 750-ms stimulus-onset asynchrony (SOA) by a target that was either a related or unrelated word, or nonword. Participants' task was to indicate whether or not the target was a real word. They were retested on the same procedure one week later. Test-retest reliability was assessed by calculating Pearson's r and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) across timepoints for N400 amplitudes for related and unrelated targets, at each SOA. Consistent with previous results, there were no significant differences between patients' N400 amplitudes for related and unrelated targets, at any SOA/timepoint combination. Pearson's r and ICCs for N400 amplitudes at Fz across timepoints were significant for both target types at each SOA (ranges: r 0.52-0.64, ICC 0.52-0.63; all p<.04). The results suggest potential utility of N400 amplitude as a longitudinal neurophysiological biomarker of semantic processing abnormalities in schizophrenia.
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25
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Mossaheb N, Aschauer HN, Stoettner S, Schmoeger M, Pils N, Raab M, Willinger U. Comprehension of metaphors in patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Compr Psychiatry 2014; 55:928-37. [PMID: 24556517 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2013.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2013] [Revised: 11/29/2013] [Accepted: 12/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metaphors, mainly proverbs and idiomatic expressions of ordinary life are commonly used as a model for concretism. Previous studies have shown impaired metaphor comprehension in patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders compared to either psychiatric or non-psychiatric control subject. The aim of this study was to detect possible quantitative differences in figurative processing between patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and healthy controls. METHODS In order to analyse possible dissociations of different aspects of figurative speech, a range of metaphor tasks was used to distinguish between recognition of familiar metaphors, paraphrasing the meaning of the latter and generating novel metaphors: we used a standard proverb test for conventional metaphors consisting of a multiple-choice and a paraphrasing task, and the Metaphoric Triads Test for the assessment of novel metaphors. We included 40 patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and 43 healthy control subjects. RESULTS Our results showed that patients had impaired figurative speech processing regarding novel and conventional metaphors. Associations with cognitive functions were detected. Performance on the paraphrasing task was associated with the severity of negative symptoms. CONCLUSION We conclude that patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders do exhibit impairments in the recognition and paraphrasing of conventional and the generation of novel metaphors and that some cognitive domains as well the extent of negative symptoms might be associated with these deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilufar Mossaheb
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of Social Psychiatry, Medical University Vienna, Austria; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Biological Psychiatry, Medical University Vienna, Austria.
| | - Harald N Aschauer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Biological Psychiatry, Medical University Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Nicole Pils
- Department of Neurology, Medical University Vienna, Austria; Landesklinikum Thermenregion Baden, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic medicine, Baden bei Wien, Austria
| | - Monika Raab
- Department of Neurology, Medical University Vienna, Austria; SMZ Baumgartner Hoehe, Otto Wagner Hospital, Department of Substance abuse, Vienna, Austria
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26
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Cermolacce M, Faugère M, Micoulaud-Franchi JA, Belzeaux R, Maurel M, Naudin J, Azorin JM, Vion-Dury J. Natural speech comprehension in bipolar disorders: an event-related brain potential study among manic patients. J Affect Disord 2014; 158:161-71. [PMID: 24655781 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2013.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2013] [Revised: 10/13/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thought and language disturbances are crucial clinical features in Bipolar Disorders (BD), and constitute a fundamental basis for social cognition. In BD, clinical manifestations such as disorganization and formal thought disorders may play a role in communication disturbances. However, only few studies have explored language disturbances in BD at a neurophysiological level. Two main Event-Related brain Potentials (ERPs) have been used in language comprehension research: the N400 component, elicited by incongruous word with the preceding semantic context, and the Late Positive Component (LPC), associated with non-specifically semantic and more general cognitive processes. Previous studies provided contradictory results regarding N400 in mood disorders, showing either preserved N400 in depression or dysthymia, or altered N400 in BD during semantic priming paradigm. The aim of our study was to explore N400 and LPC among patients with BD in natural speech conditions. METHODS ERPs from 19 bipolar type I patients with manic or hypomanic symptomatology and 19 healthy controls were recorded. Participants were asked to listen to congruous and incongruous complete sentences and to judge the match between the final word and the sentence context. Behavioral results and ERPs data were analyzed. RESULTS At the behavioral level, patients with BD show worst performances than healthy participants. At the electrophysiological level, our results show preserved N400 component in BD. LPC elicited under natural speech conditions shows preserved amplitude but delayed latency in difference waves. LIMITATIONS Small size of samples, absence of schizophrenic group and medication status. CONCLUSIONS In contrast with the only previous N400 study in BD that uses written semantic priming, our results show a preserved N400 component in ecological and natural speech conditions among patients with BD. Possible implications in terms of clinical specificity are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Cermolacce
- Département Universitaire de Psychiatrie, CHU Sainte Marguerite and Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France; Unité de Neurophysiologie, Psychophysiologie et Neurophénoménologie (UNPN), UF 4817, CHU Sainte Marguerite, Marseille, France; Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR CNRS 7291 & Aix-Marseille Université, Fédération 3C, Marseille, France.
| | - Mélanie Faugère
- Unité de Neurophysiologie, Psychophysiologie et Neurophénoménologie (UNPN), UF 4817, CHU Sainte Marguerite, Marseille, France; Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR CNRS 7291 & Aix-Marseille Université, Fédération 3C, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Arthur Micoulaud-Franchi
- Département Universitaire de Psychiatrie, CHU Sainte Marguerite and Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France; Unité de Neurophysiologie, Psychophysiologie et Neurophénoménologie (UNPN), UF 4817, CHU Sainte Marguerite, Marseille, France; Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR CNRS 7291 & Aix-Marseille Université, Fédération 3C, Marseille, France; FondaMental, Fondation de Recherche et de Soins en Santé Mentale, Créteil, France
| | - Raoul Belzeaux
- Département Universitaire de Psychiatrie, CHU Sainte Marguerite and Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France; CRN2M, UMR 7286 & Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France; FondaMental, Fondation de Recherche et de Soins en Santé Mentale, Créteil, France
| | - Muriel Maurel
- Département Universitaire de Psychiatrie, CHU Sainte Marguerite and Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Jean Naudin
- Département Universitaire de Psychiatrie, CHU Sainte Marguerite and Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France; Unité de Neurophysiologie, Psychophysiologie et Neurophénoménologie (UNPN), UF 4817, CHU Sainte Marguerite, Marseille, France; Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR CNRS 7291 & Aix-Marseille Université, Fédération 3C, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Michel Azorin
- Département Universitaire de Psychiatrie, CHU Sainte Marguerite and Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France; Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone (INT), UMR CNRS 7289 & Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France; FondaMental, Fondation de Recherche et de Soins en Santé Mentale, Créteil, France
| | - Jean Vion-Dury
- Département Universitaire de Psychiatrie, CHU Sainte Marguerite and Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France; Unité de Neurophysiologie, Psychophysiologie et Neurophénoménologie (UNPN), UF 4817, CHU Sainte Marguerite, Marseille, France; Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR CNRS 7291 & Aix-Marseille Université, Fédération 3C, Marseille, France; FondaMental, Fondation de Recherche et de Soins en Santé Mentale, Créteil, France
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Kiang M, Christensen BK, Zipursky RB. Event-related brain potential study of semantic priming in unaffected first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients. Schizophr Res 2014; 153:78-86. [PMID: 24451397 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2014.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2013] [Revised: 12/25/2013] [Accepted: 01/02/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is associated with abnormalities in using meaningful stimuli to activate or prime related concepts in semantic long-term memory. A neurophysiological index of this activation is the N400, an event-related brain potential (ERP) waveform elicited by meaningful stimuli, which is normally reduced (made less negative) by relatedness between the eliciting stimulus and preceding ones (N400 semantic priming). Schizophrenia patients exhibit N400 semantic priming deficits, suggesting impairment in using meaningful context to activate related concepts. To address whether this abnormality is a trait-like marker of liability to schizophrenia or, alternatively, a biomarker of the illness itself, we tested for its presence in schizophrenia patients' unaffected biological relatives. We recorded ERPs from 12 unaffected first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients, 12 schizophrenia patients, and 12 normal control participants (NCPs) who viewed prime words each followed at 300- or 750-ms stimulus-onset asynchrony (SOA) by an unrelated or related target word, or a nonword, in a lexical-decision task. As expected, across SOAs, NCPs exhibited smaller (less negative) N400 amplitudes for related versus unrelated targets. The same pattern held in relatives, whose N400 amplitudes for related and unrelated targets did not differ from NCPs'. In contrast, consistent with previous results, schizophrenia patients exhibited larger N400 amplitudes than NCPs (and relatives) for related targets, such that patients' N400 amplitudes for related and unrelated targets did not differ. N400 amplitudes for unrelated targets did not differ between the three groups. Thus, N400 semantic priming deficits in a visual word-pair paradigm may be an illness biomarker for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kiang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Bruce K Christensen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robert B Zipursky
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Schneider S, Rapp AM, Haeußinger FB, Ernst LH, Hamm F, Fallgatter AJ, Ehlis AC. Beyond the N400: complementary access to early neural correlates of novel metaphor comprehension using combined electrophysiological and haemodynamic measurements. Cortex 2014; 53:45-59. [PMID: 24566043 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2014.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2013] [Revised: 10/05/2013] [Accepted: 01/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The simultaneous application of different neuroimaging methods combining high temporal and spatial resolution can uniquely contribute to current issues and open questions in the field of pragmatic language perception. In the present study, comprehension of novel metaphors was investigated using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with the simultaneous acquisition of electroencephalography (EEG)/event-related potentials (ERPs). For the first time, we investigated the effects of figurative language on early electrophysiological markers (P200, N400) and their functional relationship to cortical haemodynamic responses within the language network (Broca's area, Wernicke's area). To this end, 20 healthy subjects judged 120 sentences with respect to their meaningfulness, whereby phrases were either literal, metaphoric, or meaningless. Our results indicated a metaphor-specific P200 reduction and a linear increase of N400 amplitudes from literal over metaphoric to meaningless sentences. Moreover, there were metaphor related effects on haemodynamic responses accessed with NIRS, especially within the left lateral frontal cortex (Broca's area). Significant correlations between electrophysiological and haemodynamic responses indicated that P200 reductions during metaphor comprehension were associated with an increased recruitment of neural activity within left Wernicke's area, indicating a link between variations in neural activity and haemodynamic changes within Wernicke's area. This link may reflect processes related to interindividual differences regarding the ability to classify novel metaphors. The present study underlines the usefulness of simultaneous NIRS measurements in language paradigms - especially for investigating the functional significance of neurophysiological markers that have so far been rarely examined - as these measurements are easily and efficiently realizable and allow for a complementary examination of neural activity and associated metabolic changes in cortical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Schneider
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Germany.
| | - Alexander M Rapp
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Germany
| | | | - Lena H Ernst
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Friedrich Hamm
- Department of Linguistics, University of Tuebingen, Germany
| | | | - Ann-Christine Ehlis
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Germany
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A review of recent literature employing electroencephalographic techniques to study the pathophysiology, phenomenology, and treatment response of schizophrenia. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2013; 15:388. [PMID: 23933976 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-013-0388-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Clinical experience and research findings suggest that schizophrenia is a disorder comprised of multiple genetic and neurophysiological subtypes with differential response to treatment. Electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive, inexpensive and useful tool for investigating the neurobiology of schizophrenia and its subtypes. EEG studies elucidate the neurophysiological mechanisms potentially underlying clinical symptomatology. In this review article recent advances in applying EEG to study pathophysiology, phenomenology, and treatment response in schizophrenia are discussed. Investigative strategies employed include: analyzing quantitative EEG (QEEG) spectral power during the resting state and cognitive tasks; applying machine learning methods to identify QEEG indicators of diagnosis and treatment response; and using the event-related brain potential (ERP) technique to characterize the neurocognitive processes underlying clinical symptoms. Studies attempting to validate potential EEG biomarkers of schizophrenia and its symptoms, which could be useful in assessing familial risk and treatment response, are also reviewed.
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Électrophysiologie et vulnérabilité schizophrénique : la composante N400 comme endophénotype candidat ? Neurophysiol Clin 2013; 43:81-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neucli.2013.01.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2012] [Revised: 01/22/2013] [Accepted: 01/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Mashal N, Vishne T, Laor N, Titone D. Enhanced left frontal involvement during novel metaphor comprehension in schizophrenia: evidence from functional neuroimaging. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2013; 124:66-74. [PMID: 23291493 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2012.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2011] [Revised: 11/18/2012] [Accepted: 11/19/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The neural basis involved in novel metaphor comprehension in schizophrenia is relatively unknown. Fourteen people with schizophrenia and fourteen controls were scanned while they silently read novel metaphors, conventional metaphors, literal expressions, and meaningless word-pairs. People with schizophrenia showed reduced comprehension of both novel and conventional metaphors. Furthermore, while controls showed enhanced brain activation in right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) for novel metaphors versus meaningless word-pairs, people with schizophrenia showed an over-activation of left IFG and middle frontal gyrus (MFG). Direct comparison between the groups revealed greater activation in left precuneus for both novel metaphors and literal expressions vs. baseline for individuals with schizophrenia. Direct comparison for novel metaphors vs. literal expressions also revealed increased activation for individuals with schizophrenia in left MFG. These results suggest that the inefficient processing of novel metaphors in schizophrenia involves compensatory recruitment of additional brain regions that include the left MFG and left precuneus.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Mashal
- School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
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Lu A, Zhang JX. Event-related potential evidence for the early activation of literal meaning during comprehension of conventional lexical metaphors. Neuropsychologia 2012; 50:1730-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2012.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2010] [Revised: 03/19/2012] [Accepted: 03/22/2012] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Fajkowska M, Zagórska A, Strelau J, Jaśkowski P. ERP Responses to Facial Affect and Temperament Types in Eysenckian and Strelauvian Theories. JOURNAL OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2012. [DOI: 10.1027/1614-0001/a000071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Eysenck’s PEN and Strelau’s RTT theories are considered interrelated on the level of traits and translatable on the level of four ancient temperament types. However, they refer to different ways of regulation stimulation, by content (emotional and social) and by the formal (energetic and temporal) characteristics of activity, respectively. Thus, by indexing behavioral and cortical patterns of response, it was predicted that PEN- and RTT-relevant pairs of temperaments would be associated with specific attentional mechanisms. One week after administration of the FCB-TI and EPQ-R, subjects (260) performed the Emotional Go/No Go task while a 32-channel EEG was being recorded. They were instructed to respond to threatening, sad, or friendly faces, respectively, but not to any other facial expression. A range of ERP components responsive to facial stimuli were investigated. According to behavioral and cortical patterns of response, it was shown that PEN- and RTT-related pairs of temperament types were connected with effective functioning of the anterior and posterior attentional system, respectively. On the behavioral level, significant differences in attentional processing of facial affect were registered in PEN sanguines versus RTT sanguines and PEN melancholics versus RTT melancholics, while on the cortical level significant differences were registered in PEN melancholics versus RTT melancholics and PEN phlegmatics versus RTT phlegmatics. Given these results, the theoretical relations between the PEN and RTT – with particular respect to cognitive and cortical mechanisms underlying temperament types – are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Zagórska
- University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poland
| | - Jan Strelau
- University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poland
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Elvevåg B, Helsen K, De Hert M, Sweers K, Storms G. Metaphor interpretation and use: a window into semantics in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2011; 133:205-11. [PMID: 21821395 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2011.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2011] [Revised: 07/06/2011] [Accepted: 07/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The nature of putative semantic anomalies in schizophrenia is controversial. Metaphor interpretation and use provide a useful methodology with which to probe semantics since metaphors are critical in reasoning processes and in how conceptual knowledge is organized. The first study examined free speech for figurative language. The second study explored whether emotional versus non-emotional metaphorical language interpretation elicits differences in the tendencies to produce idiosyncratic (bizarre) or literal interpretations or use of other metaphors to describe the meaning of a metaphor. The third study examined the interpretation of time metaphors. We expected the time perspective in ambiguous sentences to be differentially influenced by previously presented unambiguous sentences of a specific perspective, either events moving relative to a stationary observer (moving-time) or an observer moving relative to a stationary event (moving-ego). First, we found that patients used a similar amount of figurative language as control participants. Second, we did not find any difference between the groups in terms of idiosyncratic interpretations, although patients did interpret more metaphors literally and controls utilized more figurative language. Third, we did not find evidence of a difference between the groups in terms of time perspectives influencing ambiguous target sentences differentially. As operationalized here, the interpretation and use of metaphors is similar in patients with schizophrenia to that of healthy control participants. To the extent that metaphors recruit semantic processes this area of cognition is generally intact in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Elvevåg
- Psychiatry Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway.
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Wang K, Cheung EFC, Gong QY, Chan RCK. Semantic processing disturbance in patients with schizophrenia: a meta-analysis of the N400 component. PLoS One 2011; 6:e25435. [PMID: 22022395 PMCID: PMC3192062 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2011] [Accepted: 09/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Theoretically semantic processing can be separated into early automatic semantic activation and late contextualization. Semantic processing deficits have been suggested in patients with schizophrenia, however it is not clear which stage of semantic processing is impaired. We attempted to clarify this issue by conducting a meta-analysis of the N400 component. METHODS Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis procedure. The Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software package was used to compute pooled effect sizes and homogeneity. RESULTS Studies favoring early automatic activation produced a significant effect size of -0.41 for the N400 effect. Studies favoring late contextualization generated a significant effect size of -0.36 for the N400 effect, a significant effect size of -0.52 for N400 for congruent/related target words, and a significant effect size of 0.82 for the N400 peak latency. CONCLUSION These findings suggest the automatic spreading activation process in patients with schizophrenia is very similar for closely related concepts and weakly or remotely related concepts, while late contextualization may be associated with impairments in processing semantically congruent context accompanied by slow processing speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kui Wang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Eric F. C. Cheung
- Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Qi-yong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Centre, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital/West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Raymond C. K. Chan
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- * E-mail:
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36
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ERP responses to facial affect in low-anxious, high-anxious, repressors and defensive high-anxious individuals. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2010.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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De Grauwe S, Swain A, Holcomb PJ, Ditman T, Kuperberg GR. Electrophysiological insights into the processing of nominal metaphors. Neuropsychologia 2010; 48:1965-84. [PMID: 20307557 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2009] [Revised: 02/11/2010] [Accepted: 03/15/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We used event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine the time-course of processing metaphorical and literal sentences in the brain. ERPs were measured to sentence-final (Experiment 1) and mid-sentence (Experiment 2) critical words (CWs) as participants read and made plausibility judgments about familiar nominal metaphors ("A is a B") as well as literal and semantically anomalous sentences of the same form. Unlike the anomalous words, which evoked a robust N400 effect (on the CW in experiments 1 and 2 as well as on the sentence-final word in experiment 2), CWs in the metaphorical, relative to the literal, sentences only evoked an early, localized N400 effect that was over by 400ms after CW onset, suggesting that, by this time, their metaphorical meaning had been accessed. CWs in the metaphorical sentences also evoked a significantly larger LPC (Late Positive Component) than in the literal sentences. We suggest that this LPC reflected additional analysis that resolved a conflict between the implausibility of the literal sentence interpretation and the match between the metaphorical meaning of the CW, the context and stored information within semantic memory, resulting from early access to both literal and figurative meanings of the CWs.
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Kuperberg GR, Kreher DA, Ditman T. What can Event-related Potentials tell us about language, and perhaps even thought, in schizophrenia? Int J Psychophysiol 2010; 75:66-76. [PMID: 19765622 PMCID: PMC3136365 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2009.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2007] [Revised: 02/05/2008] [Accepted: 02/12/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Disturbances of thought and language are fundamental to schizophrenia. Cognitive behavioral and electrophysiological research has implicated problems in two different neurocognitive mechanisms: abnormalities in the structure and function of semantic memory, and abnormalities in combining and integrating words together to build up sentence and discourse context. This review discusses recent electrophysiological evidence suggesting that these two deficits are not completely distinct, but rather that language impairment in schizophrenia results from a dysfunctional interaction between these systems in an effort to build up higher-order meaning. Moreover, although language abnormalities are more pronounced in patients with positive thought disorder, they manifest themselves in all patients when increased demands are placed on the comprehension system. Further investigation of language dysfunction may also provide insights into other aspects of psychotic thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina R Kuperberg
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
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Sitnikova T, Perrone C, Goff D, Kuperberg GR. Neurocognitive mechanisms of conceptual processing in healthy adults and patients with schizophrenia. Int J Psychophysiol 2010; 75:86-99. [PMID: 20004221 PMCID: PMC2842912 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2009.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2009] [Revised: 11/29/2009] [Accepted: 12/01/2009] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This overview outlines findings of cognitive and neurocognitive studies on comprehension of verbal, pictorial, and video stimuli in healthy participants and patients with schizophrenia. We present evidence for a distinction between two complementary neurocognitive streams of conceptual analysis during comprehension. In familiar situations, adequate understanding of events may be achieved by mapping the perceived information on the associative and similarity-based connections between concepts in semantic memory - a process reflected by an N400 waveform of event-related electrophysiological potentials (ERPs). However, in less conventional contexts, a more flexible mechanism may be needed. We suggest that this alternative processing stream, reflected by a P600 ERP waveform, may use discrete, rule-like goal-related requirements of real-world actions to comprehend relationships between perceived people, objects, and actions. This neurocognitive model of comprehension is used as a basis in discussing studies in schizophrenia. These studies suggest an imbalanced engagement of the two conceptual streams in schizophrenia, whereby patients may rely on the associative and similarity-based networks in semantic memory even when it would be more adaptive to recruit mechanisms that draw upon goal-related requirements. Finally, we consider the roles that these conceptual mechanisms may play in real-life behavior, and the consequences that their dysfunction may have for disorganized behavior and inability to plan actions to achieve behavioral goals in schizophrenia.
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40
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Lai VT, Curran T, Menn L. Comprehending conventional and novel metaphors: An ERP study. Brain Res 2009; 1284:145-55. [PMID: 19505446 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.05.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2008] [Revised: 05/17/2009] [Accepted: 05/26/2009] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Sitnikova T, Goff D, Kuperberg GR. Neurocognitive abnormalities during comprehension of real-world goal-directed behaviors in schizophrenia. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY 2009; 118:256-77. [PMID: 19413402 PMCID: PMC2819083 DOI: 10.1037/a0015619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Origins of impaired adaptive functioning in schizophrenia remain poorly understood. Behavioral disorganization may arise from an abnormal reliance on common combinations between concepts stored in semantic memory. Avolition-apathy may be related to deficits in using goal-related requirements to flexibly plan behavior. The authors recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) in 16 patients with medicated schizophrenia and 16 healthy controls in a novel video paradigm presenting congruous or incongruous objects in real-world activities. All incongruous objects were contextually inappropriate, but the incongruous scenes varied in comprehensibility. Psychopathology was assessed with the Scales for the Assessment of Positive and Negative Symptoms (SAPS/SANS) and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. In patients, an N400 ERP, thought to index activity in semantic memory, was abnormally enhanced to less comprehensible incongruous scenes, and larger N400 priming was associated with disorganization severity. A P600 ERP, which may index flexible object-action integration based on goal-related requirements, was abnormally attenuated in patients, and its smaller magnitude was associated with the SANS rating of impersistence at work or school (goal-directed behavior). Thus, distinct neurocognitive abnormalities may underlie disorganization and goal-directed behavior deficits in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Sitnikova
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
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Arzouan Y, Goldstein A, Faust M. Brainwaves are stethoscopes: ERP correlates of novel metaphor comprehension. Brain Res 2007; 1160:69-81. [PMID: 17597591 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2007.05.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2006] [Revised: 05/12/2007] [Accepted: 05/14/2007] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The processing of unfamiliar metaphors was examined using event related potentials (ERPs). We compared the patterns of brain electrical activity elicited by processing two-word expressions denoting literal, conventional metaphoric, and novel metaphoric meaning, as well as unrelated word pairs. Participants performed a semantic judgment task in which they decided whether each word pair conveyed a meaningful expression. N400 amplitude to the second word of the pair varied as a function of expression type in a graded manner increasing from literal expressions to conventional metaphors, to novel metaphors and to unrelated pairs. N400s elicited by novel metaphors showed a right-biased scalp distribution as compared to those elicited by conventional metaphors. Novel metaphors also elicited a right-sided late negativity suggesting further attempts to integrate meaning in a non-literal fashion, a result that supports the sequential view of novel metaphor comprehension. These findings are consistent with recent brain imaging studies and complement them by adding the temporal dynamics dimension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yossi Arzouan
- Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 52900, Israel
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Arzouan Y, Goldstein A, Faust M. Dynamics of hemispheric activity during metaphor comprehension: Electrophysiological measures. Neuroimage 2007; 36:222-31. [PMID: 17428685 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2006] [Revised: 01/24/2007] [Accepted: 02/12/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain imaging studies have lead to conflicting findings regarding the involvement of the right hemisphere (RH) in metaphor comprehension. Some report more relative RH activation when processing figurative expressions but others have shown just the opposite. The inconsistencies might be a result of the low temporal resolution related to current brain imaging techniques which is insufficient to uncover patterns of hemispheric interaction that change over time. Event-related potentials and a source estimation technique (LORETA) were used to investigate such temporal interactions when processing two-word expressions denoting literal, conventional metaphoric, and novel metaphoric meaning, as well as unrelated word pairs. Participants performed a semantic judgment task in which they decided whether each word pair conveyed a meaningful expression. Our findings indicate that during comprehension of novel metaphors there are some stages of considerable RH involvement, mainly of the temporal and superior frontal areas. Although the processing mechanisms used for all types of expressions were similar and require both hemispheres, the relative contribution of each hemisphere at specific processing stages depended on stimulus type. Those stages correspond roughly to the N400 and LPC components which reflect semantic and contextual integration, respectively. The present study demonstrates that RH mechanisms are necessary, but not sufficient, for understanding metaphoric expressions. Both hemispheres work in concert in a complex dynamical pattern during literal and figurative language comprehension. Electrophysiological recordings together with source localization algorithms such as LORETA are a viable tool for measuring this type of activity patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yossi Arzouan
- Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Israel
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Kircher TTJ, Leube DT, Erb M, Grodd W, Rapp AM. Neural correlates of metaphor processing in schizophrenia. Neuroimage 2006; 34:281-9. [PMID: 17081771 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.08.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2006] [Revised: 08/19/2006] [Accepted: 08/29/2006] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A main feature of schizophrenic thought and language disturbance is concretism, the inability to understand the figurative meaning of proverbs and metaphors. Although this is routinely tested during clinical interview, its neural basis is unknown. METHOD We investigated processing of metaphoric sentences with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 12 patients with schizophrenia and 12 control subjects. Stimuli consisted of 60 novel short sentences with either metaphoric or literal meaning presented visually, intersparsed by a low level baseline (grey background). Subjects read these sentences silently and judged by button press whether they had a positive or negative connotation. RESULTS Reading metaphors in contrast to literal sentences revealed signal changes in the left inferior frontal gyrus in the control subjects (BA 45/47) and an area 3 cm dorsal to that in the patients (BA 45). Only activation in this area was negatively correlated with the severity of concretism rated with the PANSS. Comparison between groups for the contrast metaphors vs. low level baseline revealed stronger signal changes in the control group in the right superior/middle temporal gyrus (BA 39) and the left inferior frontal gyrus (BA 45) in the patients. CONCLUSIONS The results in the control subjects are in line with studies showing an involvement of the left inferior frontal and right lateral temporal cortex during context processing. Failure to recruit these areas in the patients may underlie schizophrenic concretism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tilo T J Kircher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
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Iakimova G, Passerieux C, Hardy-Baylé MC. Interpretation of ambiguous idiomatic statements in schizophrenic and depressive patients. Evidence for common and differential cognitive patterns. Psychopathology 2006; 39:277-85. [PMID: 16960466 DOI: 10.1159/000095732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2004] [Accepted: 09/08/2005] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study is concerned with the comprehension of ambiguous idiomatic statements in schizophrenic and depressive patients. AIMS Using a multiple-choice procedure, we simultaneously tested the presence of concrete and literal elements in the understanding of idiomatic statements. METHOD Fourteen schizophrenic and 10 patients undergoing a major depressive episode as well as 14 control subjects completed a questionnaire with 10 idiomatic expressions with two possible interpretations (figurative and literal) of equivalent prominence. The participants had to choose one word linked with the different interpretations of these idioms (figurative, literal, concrete or inappropriate meaning). RESULTS The main results show that, in all the subjects, the contextual characteristics of the task induced a bias in favor of figurative interpretations despite the equivalent prominence of the literal interpretations of the idioms. The selection of responses relating to the concrete meaning of a single word in the idiom constituted a response mode common to both the schizophrenic and depressed patients. Despite the contextual constraints of the task, the schizophrenics opted for the literal responses more often than the other participants. The descriptive analysis argues in favor of a cognitive and clinical heterogeneity of schizophrenic patients. CONCLUSION Results support the idea that literality and concreteness in idiomatic interpretation are possibly due to distinct cognitive impairments, though only some are specific to schizophrenic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina Iakimova
- Laboratoire Universitaire de Recherche, Service de Psychiatrie Adulte, Centre Hospitalier de Versailles, Le Chesnay, France.
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