Brain Disorder Increases Risk for Psychosis

(University of Basel, July 23, 2013)

Researchers from the University of Basel have found that abnormalities in the connectivity of the brain hemispheres are present in psychosis patients and may even predate the onset of psychosis. Using fMRI on patients performing exercises of the working memory, they observed that in both psychosis patients and patients at risk for psychosis, connectivity between hemispheres is less than in healthy subjects. Patients treated with antipsychotic drugs had intermediary connectivity values, and also exhibited improved the performance in working memory tasks. "Our results could make it possible to use the connectivity of the hemispheres as a physiological marker that indicates a developing psychosis", says Professor Stefan Borgwardt, senior author of the study.