Corollary discharge dysfunction in auditory verbal hallucinations: N100 suppression measured with semi-dry electrodes
Ella Sonnelid, Robert Bodén, Caroline E. Wass, Jonas Persson
Clinical Neurophysiology Practice October 6, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.cnp.2026.10.001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case-control study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 29 |
| Population | 14 patients with persistent auditory verbal hallucinations and 15 healthy controls |
| Measures | N100 suppression (peak-amplitude difference between talk and listen conditions, 60–150 ms window), Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales Auditory Hallucination Subscale (PSYRATS-AHS) |
| Key findings | N100 suppression did not differ significantly between patients with auditory verbal hallucinations and healthy controls (p = 0.095, Cohen's d = 0.64). Within the patient group, weaker N100 suppression was significantly correlated with greater hallucination severity on the PSYRATS-AHS (r = −0.54, p = 0.047). The authors argue this supports impaired corollary discharge as a mechanistic basis for auditory hallucinations, while noting the small sample and need for replication. |
Abstract
Objective: Corollary discharge dysfunction in patients with auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) is reflected in failure to attenuate the N100 event-related potential. Previous research has shown mixed findings regarding N100 suppression and hallucination severity, generally using broad symptom scales rather than AVH-specific measures. This study investigated corollary discharge and its relationship with comprehensively characterized auditory hallucinations.
Methods: Corollary discharge was investigated in 14 patients with persistent auditory hallucinations and 15 healthy controls using an EEG paradigm using semi-dry electrodes where participants self-generated sounds in a “talk” condition and listened to playback in a “listen” condition. N100 suppression was calculated as the peak-amplitude difference (μV) between talk and listen in the 60–150 ms window. Auditory hallucinations were assessed with the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales Auditory Hallucination Subscale (PSYRATS-AHS).
Results: Between-group analysis of the fronto-central ROI (Fz-Cz) showed a statistically non-significant trend toward greater N100 suppression in healthy controls compared to AVH patients (p = 0.095, Cohen's d = 0.64). N100 suppression showed significant negative correlation with hallucination severity in the AVH group (r = −0.54, p = 0.047).
Conclusions: Hallucination severity is related to impaired corollary discharge mechanisms, supporting its role as a mechanistic basis for auditory hallucinations.
Significance: The preliminary correlation with PSYRATS-AHS suggests potential value in using symptom-specific assessment tools in research on auditory hallucinations, warranting replication in larger samples.