Link to video on the SUCEDE YouTube Channel
In our latest bibliographic seminar session, Emma Osorio, a predoctoral researcher with the SUCEDE team, presented a detailed review of the seminal paper by Rogasch et al. (2014): “Cortical Inhibition, Excitation, and Connectivity in Schizophrenia: A Combined TMS-EEG Study.”
Understanding the pathophysiology of schizophrenia requires tools that allow for the evaluation of not just isolated brain activity, but the real-time dynamics of cortical circuits. In this regard, the combination of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Electroencephalography (EEG) has established itself as a cutting-edge methodology for exploring the balance between neuronal excitation and inhibition.
Key points of the session:
- Cortical Inhibition Dysfunction: The presentation analyzed how patients with schizophrenia exhibit specific alterations in TMS-Evoked Potentials (TEPs). The role of reduced GABA-B receptor-mediated inhibition in the motor and prefrontal cortex was discussed.
- Effective Connectivity: We explored how cortical stimulation propagates abnormally to other regions in patients, suggesting a fragmentation of functional connectivity that may underlie various cognitive symptoms.
- Symptomatology Relationship: Emma detailed the correlations found in the study between these neurophysiological markers and the severity of negative symptoms, highlighting the importance of these findings in the search for objective biotypes in psychosis.
This review is particularly relevant to the SUCEDE project, as it delves into the theoretical foundations of cortical inhibition and corollary discharge, which are core areas of our current research on the brain substrates of psychosis.
As is customary in our meetings, the presentation was followed by an enriching debate among group members regarding the interpretation of N100 and P200 waves within the context of illness chronicity.
You can access the full session and the analyzed figures in the following video:
Seminar Video:
https://youtu.be/jVgFX9CVGyw