Anomalous echo: Exploring abnormal experience correlates of emotional motor resonance in Schizophrenia Spectrum.
Mariateresa Sestito, Andrea Raballo, Maria Alessandra Umiltà, Mario Amore, Carlo Maggini, Vittorio Gallese
Psychiatry Research September 30, 2015 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.05.038 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Patients with schizophrenia spectrum conditions |
| Measures | facial electromyographic activity (EMG), Bonn Scale for the Assessment of Basic Symptoms (BSABS) |
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Basic symptoms Embodiment Emotions Facial emg Motor resonance Schizophrenia spectrum |
| Key findings | Patients with schizophrenia spectrum conditions who showed stronger facial mimicry to negative emotional stimuli (Externalizers) had higher BSABS Cluster 3 (Vulnerability) scores and more psychotic episodes than Internalizers, while those resonating more with positive stimuli scored higher on BSABS Cluster 5 (Interpersonal irritation). The authors argue these findings reflect a disruption of basic emotional motor mechanisms underlying anomalous self-experience. |
Abstract
Anomalous experiences such as Basic Symptoms (BS) are considered the first subjective manifestation of the neurobiological substrate of schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to explore whether a low or high emotional motor resonance occurring in Schizophrenia Spectrum (SzSp) patients was related to patients׳ clinical features and to their anomalous subjective experiences as indexed by the Bonn Scale for the Assessment of Basic Symptoms (BSABS). To this aim, we employed a validated paradigm sensitive in evoking a congruent facial mimicry (measured by means of facial electromyographic activity, EMG) through multimodal positive and negative emotional stimuli presentation. Results showed that SzSp patients more resonating with negative emotional stimuli (i.e. Externalizers) had significantly higher scores in BSABS Cluster 3 (Vulnerability) and more psychotic episodes than Internalizers patients. On the other hand, SzSp patients more resonating with positive emotional stimuli (i.e. Externalizers) scored higher in BSABS Cluster 5 (Interpersonal irritation) than Internalizers. Drawing upon a phenomenological-based perspective, we attempted to shed new light on the abnormal experiences characterizing schizophrenia, explaining them in terms of a disruption of the normal self-perception conveyed by the basic, low-level emotional motor mechanisms.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on philosophy of mind, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The phenomenology of near-death experiences Subjects who reported near-death experiences | 1980 | Retrospective study | n = 78 |
| Visual Phenomenology of the LSD Flashback Persons with a history of LSD use | 1983 | Observational cohort | n = 123 |
| The neurophenomenology of neutral hypnosis. Individuals of high, medium, and low hypnotizability | 2013 | Observational cohort | n = 37 |
| The Phenomenology of Acute Organic Psychosis Patients with acute organic psychosis and acute schizophrenics | 1987 | Observational cohort | n = 148 |
| EEG oscillatory states as neuro-phenomenology of consciousness as revealed from patients in vegetative and minimally conscious states. Brain-damaged patients with disorders of consciousness and healthy-conscious subjects | 2012 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Towards a Neurophenomenological Understanding of Self-Disorder in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Anatomical, Physiological, and Neurocognitive Findings Brain Sciences May 23, 2023
- Sensing the Worst: Neurophenomenological Perspectives on Neutral Stimuli Misperception in Schizophrenia Spectrum. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2017
Cites 9
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- What are the neurocognitive correlates of basic self-disturbance in schizophrenia? Integrating phenomenology and neurocognition: Part 2 (aberrant salience). Schizophrenia Research January 2014
- The bodily self as power for action. Neuropsychologia February 2010
and 4 more in the library