Investigation of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, focusing on change detection and its inhibition

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K10296
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Mie University
• Principal Investigator: MOTOMURA EISHI 三重大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (10324534)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 前田 正幸 三重大学, 医学系研究科, 寄附講座教授 (70219278) ; 乾 幸二 愛知県医療療育総合センター発達障害研究所, 障害システム研究部, 部長 (70262996)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 統合失調症 / 神経認知 / 誘発脳活動 / 変化応答 / プレパルス抑制

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We attempted to clarify neurocognition in schizophrenia by using an evoked potential, i.e., Change-N1, and its prepulse inhibition (PPI). Healthy Met carrier subjects showed significantly greater PPI of Change-N1 compared to healthy Val/Val subjects with the catechol-O-methyltransferase Val/158Met polymorphism, which is one of the candidate genes for schizophrenia. The Change-N1 amplitude and its PPI in subjects with schizophrenia were weaker than those in the healthy subjects. These results might indicate a deficit of change detection and the inhibitory system in schizophrenia. An abrupt change in sound pressure also transiently accelerates a phase of the auditory steady-state response (ASSR). The degree of this phase acceleration depended on the magnitude of the change in sound pressure. Further studies of patients with schizophrenia that uses the phase acceleration of ASSR which might be an additional index of change detection are needed.

Free Research Field

精神医学、臨床神経生理

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

感覚情報変化を速やかに捉える変化応答と溢れる感覚情報のフィルタリング（感覚情報処理過程における抑制）は基本的情報処理戦略である。瞬目反射を用いて驚愕反応を標的とする従来のプレパルス研究とは異なり、誘発電位を用いることで感覚情報の入力制御を脳の挙動として直接的に捉えることができる。本研究では、統合失調症における変化応答の脆弱性と感覚情報のゲート機構の障害を一つの実験系のなかで捉えることができた。