On February 5 and 6, 2026, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Valladolid (UVa) hosted the VII International Conference on Updates in Schizophrenia. Supported by funding from the Fundación La Marató de TV3, this edition focused on the transition “From Cortical and Self-Experience Dysfunction to Subtypification” within the spectrum of psychosis.
Advances in Neurobiological Phenotyping:
The initial session, led by the SUCEDE (UVa) and BIOART (UPC) research groups, presented critical findings regarding the definition of cognitive biotypes based on inhibitory cortical activity. Key technical discussions included:
- The impact of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) on dysfunctional network connectivity and complexity in patients with schizophrenia.
- The characterization of TMS/EEG activity through source analysis using MNE-Python.
- The relationship between cortical inhibitory function (utilizing SICI and LICI paradigms) and task-related modulation in psychotic populations compared to healthy controls.
Heterogeneity and Functional Neuroimaging:
The second day of the conference addressed the inherent clinical and biological heterogeneity of psychosis. Presentations explored variables such as brain age, neuroanatomy, and basal hyperactivation/hypomodulation of cortical activity via EEG/oddball studies. Furthermore, the sessions debated the necessity of moving “Beyond the DSM” toward more precise classifications based on neuroimaging and cognitive biotypes.
Mechanisms of Self-Experience:
The final session delved into the neurobiological mechanisms underlying abnormal self-experiences. Notable contributions examined inner speech, auditory-verbal hallucinations, and the alteration of the corollary discharge mechanism (specifically the suppression of the N1 evoked potential and readiness potential) as core elements of psychiatric vulnerability.
Special Acknowledgments
The organizing committee wishes to express its deepest gratitude to our international speakers for their extraordinary commitment to scientific dissemination, despite the logistical challenges posed by their respective time zones:
- Dr. Thomas J. Whitford (University of New South Wales, Sydney), who joined the conference during the late-night hours in Australia to share his expertise on inner speech.
- Dr. Judith Ford (University of California, San Francisco), who connected in the early hours of the morning from the U.S. West Coast to conclude the scientific sessions.
Their real-time participation was instrumental to the success of the multidisciplinary debate shared by over 100 in-person and online attendees.
