Visual self-recognition in patients with schizophrenia

Schizophr Res. 2007 Aug;94(1-3):215-20. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2007.03.032. Epub 2007 May 15.

Abstract

Self-processing is associated with distinct patterns of behavior and neural activity in healthy individuals. Self-monitoring deficits have been reported in schizophrenia in auditory and tactile modalities but it is unknown whether they generalize to all sensory domains. We investigated self-face recognition in patients with schizophrenia, using a visual search paradigm with three types of targets: objects, famous faces and self-faces. Schizophrenic patients showed increased reaction time (RT) for detecting targets overall compared to normal controls but they showed faster RT for self-face compared with the Famous-face condition. For healthy controls, there was no difference between Self- and Famous-face conditions. Thus, visual search for self-face is more efficient than for famous faces and self-face recognition is spared in schizophrenia. These findings suggest that impaired self-processing in schizophrenia may be task-dependent rather than ubiquitous.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Awareness
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
  • Face
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Reaction Time
  • Recognition, Psychology*
  • Schizophrenia / diagnosis*
  • Schizophrenia / physiopathology*
  • Self Concept*
  • Signal Detection, Psychological
  • Social Perception*
  • Visual Perception*