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Frontal hypoactivation and alterations in the reward-system during humor processing in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders
- Source :
- Schizophrenia Research. 202:149-157
- Publication Year :
- 2018
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2018.
-
Abstract
- Humor is a ubiquitous human ability with important implications for both social and emotional functioning. Patients with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, experience difficulties in the comprehension and appreciation of humor. However, the specific neural mechanisms underlying these deficits are unknown. In the current study, we sought to elucidate the neural correlates of humor processing in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) was used in thirty-one patients with SSD and a control group, performing a humor processing paradigm. Both regional brain activation and parametric modulation of brain responses via subjective funniness ratings were collected during the scanning procedure. On a neural level, large overlaps in fronto-temporal brain activation was found in both groups. However, patients compared to healthy control subjects showed attenuated responses in frontal brain regions, including the anterior cingulate cortex, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), superior frontal gyrus and middle frontal gyrus, as well as in the striatum (i.e. caudate nucleus, putamen). Furthermore, parametric modulation of subjective funniness ratings resulted in attenuated responses in the mPFC, bilateral insula, and left hippocampus. Analysis of functional connectivity revealed alterations in mPFC-caudate nucleus coupling in patients with SSD, which might reflect impairments in reward-related processing. Notably, alterations in mPFC-caudate nucleus coupling in patients were significantly associated to subjective funniness ratings. Our results extend previous findings demonstrating the relevance of frontal hypoactivation for humor processing impairments in patients with SSD and first point towards alterations in humor appreciation processes.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Caudate nucleus
Neuropsychological Tests
behavioral disciplines and activities
050105 experimental psychology
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Reward
Neural Pathways
medicine
Humans
Middle frontal gyrus
0501 psychology and cognitive sciences
Prefrontal cortex
Biological Psychiatry
Anterior cingulate cortex
Brain Mapping
medicine.diagnostic_test
business.industry
05 social sciences
Brain
medicine.disease
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Psychiatry and Mental health
medicine.anatomical_structure
Psychotic Disorders
nervous system
Superior frontal gyrus
Schizophrenia
Female
Schizophrenic Psychology
Comprehension
Functional magnetic resonance imaging
business
Neuroscience
Insula
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Wit and Humor as Topic
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 09209964
- Volume :
- 202
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Schizophrenia Research
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....ac86109f8ce9d2f687b4bdf934af3913