Cognitive dysfunction is a hallmark of schizophrenia. However, underlying deficits in basic sensory processing are a contributing factor to higher order processing deficits. In the auditory system, there is evidence for functionally distinct ventral and dorsal pathways, governing sound object recognition ('what') and sound localization ('where'), respectively. The event-related potential known as mismatch negativity (MMN) has been used to index sound object recognition. It is robustly elicited in healthy subjects when a deviant tone is interjected in a train of standard tones. In schizophrenia, the MMN is significantly attenuated, providing strong evidence for deficits in early auditory processing, namely, 'what' pathway impairment. To this author's knowledge, no research has yet shown deficits in both the 'what' and 'where' pathways in schizophrenia. In the proposed study, integrity of the ventral and dorsal pathways in schizophrenia patients will be assessed through behavioral and electrophysiological tasks. For the dorsal, or 'where' pathway, a sound localization experiment will be conducted. For the ventral, or 'what' pathway, we will conduct a sound object recognition experiment. As our understanding of the specific nature of auditory system deficits in schizophrenia increases, so will avenues for diagnosis, treatment, and etiological understanding of the illness. ? ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
5F31MH074284-02
Application #
7261971
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-F01-N (20))
Program Officer
Rubio, Mercedes
Project Start
2006-07-17
Project End
2009-06-30
Budget Start
2007-07-17
Budget End
2009-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$29,429
Indirect Cost
Name
Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research
Department
Type
DUNS #
167204762
City
Orangeburg
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10962
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Ross, Lars A; Saint-Amour, Dave; Leavitt, Victoria M et al. (2007) Impaired multisensory processing in schizophrenia: deficits in the visual enhancement of speech comprehension under noisy environmental conditions. Schizophr Res 97:173-83
Ross, Lars A; Saint-Amour, Dave; Leavitt, Victoria M et al. (2007) Do you see what I am saying? Exploring visual enhancement of speech comprehension in noisy environments. Cereb Cortex 17:1147-53
Leavitt, Victoria M; Molholm, Sophie; Ritter, Walter et al. (2007) Auditory processing in schizophrenia during the middle latency period (10-50 ms): high-density electrical mapping and source analysis reveal subcortical antecedents to early cortical deficits. J Psychiatry Neurosci 32:339-53