Brain Signal Linked to Multiple Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is often described as a collection of distinct problems. People with the condition may perceive the world differently, respond to their surroundings in unusual ways, or speak in ways that are difficult for others to understand.

A new study suggests that a single brain signal could help explain a range of schizophrenia symptoms that might otherwise appear unrelated.

The researchers identified a shared underlying mechanism associated with three features of the disorder. The findings emerged from a collaboration involving McGill University, the McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, the Université de Montréal (UdeM), the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, and the Douglas Research Centre.

The team measured beta-band brain activity in 25 people with schizophrenia and 25 healthy control participants as they completed a task involving the timing of visual and auditory stimuli. The researchers also analyzed participants’ speech for signs of disorganization.

Compared with the healthy control group, participants with schizophrenia showed weaker and slower beta-band activity. Notably, those with the greatest differences in this brain signal had more difficulty processing the timing of visual and auditory stimuli, more disorganized speech, and more severe clinical symptoms. These are three features of schizophrenia that are typically examined separately.

Dr. Lena Palaniyappan, one of the researchers involved in the project, said the study provides preliminary but compelling evidence that measuring brain function—particularly how the brain constructs and updates its internal model of the world—could help explain a common thread connecting the complex range of symptoms seen in disorders such as schizophrenia.

“The first signs of schizophrenia emerge during adolescence, but they often go unnoticed for a long time,” Palaniyappan said. She added that, if the findings are confirmed in larger samples, the approach could provide a useful way to identify young people who may need additional support to help prevent the onset of psychosis.

Hsi Tiana Wei, the study’s lead researcher, said the team was surprised to find that the same weakened brain signal appeared across different tasks, whether participants were processing sounds, viewing a scene, or performing a movement.

Observing the same pattern across different domains suggested that a shared underlying process might connect the symptoms, Wei explained. However, Wei noted that this was the first study of its kind with a moderately sized sample, and the associations between the brain signal, speech disorganization, and clinical severity need to be tested in larger, independent groups before firm conclusions can be drawn.

Beyond its potential role in identifying people at risk of psychosis, Wei added, the brain signal could also warrant further investigation as a possible target for future treatments.