Chunk #13 — DIMENSIONS OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY IN NEUROLEPTIC-NAÏVE PATIENTS WITH RECENT-ONSET SCHIZOPHRENIA — EEG spectral profiles of positive and negative symptom sub-groups in neuroleptic-naïve patients with recent-onset schizophrenia
The higher alpha1 power noted in the resting state in the PS subgroup can be inferred to indicate higher brain activity levels in the lower alpha frequency range in the resting state due to the presence of positive symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions. Lower alpha2 has been shown to predict treatment resistance. The relationship between high alpha1 to positive symptoms and low alpha2 to negative symptoms fits in with the understanding that presence of negative symptoms predict poorer response to treatment and vice versa.[35] The widespread increase in delta power noted in our schizophrenia sample is likely attributable to the NS subgroup as indicated by increased delta power in the NS subgroup when compared to controls as well as to the PS subgroup, thus linking negative symptoms with diffuse cortical hypometabolism.[36] Theta power in the resting awake condition underlies higher mental functions including memory formation and retrieval.[37] Reduced theta power, could be considered as a hallmark of the schizophrenia state, considering that it was noted in both the PS and NS subgroups. This reduction in theta power, along with the reduced alpha2 power mentioned earlier, may underlie the cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia.
