Intact Mismatch Negativity Responses in Clinical High Risk for Psychosis and First-Episode Psychosis: Evidence From Source-Reconstructed Event-Related Fields and Time-Frequency Data

Abstract

Background: This study examined whether mismatch negativity (MMN) responses are impaired in participants at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR-P) and patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and whether MMN deficits predict clinical outcomes in CHR-Ps.

Methods: Magnetoencephalography data were collected during a duration-deviant MMN paradigm for a group of 116 CHR-P participants, 33 FEP patients (15 antipsychotic-naïve), clinical high risk negative group (n = 38) with substance abuse and affective disorder, and 49 healthy control participants. Analysis of group differences of source-reconstructed event-related fields as well as time-frequency and intertrial phase coherence focused on the bilateral Heschl's gyri and bilateral superior temporal gyri.

Results: Significant magnetic MMN responses were found across participants in the bilateral Heschl's gyri and bilateral superior temporal gyri. However, MMN amplitude as well as time-frequency and intertrial phase coherence responses were intact in CHR-P participants and FEP patients compared with healthy control participants. Furthermore, MMN deficits were not related to persistent attenuated psychotic symptoms or transitions to psychosis in CHR-P participants.

Conclusions: Our data suggest that magnetic MMN responses in magnetoencephalography data are not impaired in early-stage psychosis and may not predict clinical outcomes in CHR-P participants.

Keywords: Magnetoencephalography; Mismatch negativity; Psychosis high risk; Schizophrenia; Source-reconstruction; Time-frequency analysis.