Distinct Hierarchical Alterations of Intrinsic Neural Timescales Account for Different Manifestations of Psychosis
bioRxiv Preprint Server February 7, 2020 Kenneth Wengler, Andrew T. Goldberg, George Chahine et al. 6 citations preprint
Hallucinations and delusions in schizophrenia may arise from distinct alterations in how the brain integrates information over time across different levels of sensory processing hierarchies. Using resting-state fMRI to measure intrinsic neural timescale (INT), which reflects the time window of neural integration, researchers found that hallucinations were linked to altered INT in lower auditory and somatosensory regions, while delusions were associated with changes in higher hierarchical areas. Computer simulations suggested that local imbalances between excitation and inhibition at different hierarchical levels could underlie these patterns. The findings support hierarchical perceptual-inference models of psychosis and demonstrate INT as a useful tool for studying brain hierarchies.