Rieger Kathryn, Rarra Marie-Helene, Moor Nicolas, Diaz Hernandez Laura, Baenninger Anja, Razavi Nadja, Dierks Thomas, Hubl Daniela, Koenig Thomas
1 Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
2 Center for Cognition, Learning and Memory, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Clin EEG Neurosci. 2018 Mar;49(2):79-92. doi: 10.1177/1550059417708935. Epub 2017 May 18.
Previous studies showed a global reduction of the event-related potential component N100 in patients with schizophrenia, a phenomenon that is even more pronounced during auditory verbal hallucinations. This reduction assumingly results from dysfunctional activation of the primary auditory cortex by inner speech, which reduces its responsiveness to external stimuli. With this study, we tested the feasibility of enhancing the responsiveness of the primary auditory cortex to external stimuli with an upregulation of the event-related potential component N100 in healthy control subjects. A total of 15 healthy subjects performed 8 double-sessions of EEG-neurofeedback training over 2 weeks. The results of the used linear mixed effect model showed a significant active learning effect within sessions ( t = 5.99, P < .001) against an unspecific habituation effect that lowered the N100 amplitude over time. Across sessions, a significant increase in the passive condition ( t = 2.42, P = .03), named as carry-over effect, was observed. Given that the carry-over effect is one of the ultimate aims of neurofeedback, it seems reasonable to apply this neurofeedback training protocol to influence the N100 amplitude in patients with schizophrenia. This intervention could provide an alternative treatment option for auditory verbal hallucinations in these patients.
先前的研究表明，精神分裂症患者与事件相关的电位成分N100在整体上有所降低，这种现象在听幻觉期间更为明显。这种降低推测是由于内部言语对初级听觉皮层的功能失调激活，从而降低了其对外部刺激的反应性。在本研究中，我们测试了通过上调健康对照受试者的事件相关电位成分N100来增强初级听觉皮层对外部刺激反应性的可行性。共有15名健康受试者在2周内进行了8次双阶段脑电图神经反馈训练。所使用的线性混合效应模型的结果显示，在各阶段内存在显著的主动学习效应（t = 5.99，P < .001），对抗随着时间推移降低N100振幅的非特异性习惯化效应。在各阶段之间，观察到被动条件下有显著增加（t = 2.42，P = .03），称为延续效应。鉴于延续效应是神经反馈的最终目标之一，将这种神经反馈训练方案应用于影响精神分裂症患者的N100振幅似乎是合理的。这种干预可为这些患者的听幻觉提供一种替代治疗选择。
