People with schizophrenia often hear voices that don’t exist in the real world. Scientists have been trying to crack the code of auditory hallucinations for years. In a recent study led by Chen Zhang of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and Xing Tian of New York University, Shanghai, researchers found that hearing voices is ultimately the result of a disorder in the brain’s ability to process and predict sensory information. It was concluded that
Why do auditory hallucinations occur?
For many years, auditory hallucinations were thought to be a product of the overactive imagination that is prevalent in schizophrenia. However, recent research has dispelled that myth and explained that it is actually a biological process that involves complex interactions between motor and sensory systems in the brain.
The study was conducted on two groups of schizophrenia patients. One group experienced auditory hallucinations and the other group did not. Researchers studied the differences between the two in brain function and concluded their findings.
Also read: Brain Health: Are Symptoms of Schizophrenia Patients Worsened by Disturbed Sleep-Wake Trends? Research Says
During the study, participants were placed in various scenarios in which they were asked to speak. There are situations where you need to speak while being prepared, and situations where you are asked to speak without knowing anything. In these situations, the researchers played a sound and measured the brain’s response using electroencephalography.
Brain disorders in motor planning and prediction
We observed that general speech preparation could suppress the global auditory response in healthy individuals, but not in schizophrenia patients. Therefore, research has revealed a fundamental failure of this inhibitory mechanism.
This study serves as a wake-up call to explore better treatment options for schizophrenia and other mental disorders. It also helps to identify that what is thought of as a sensory phenomenon may have an explanation deeply rooted in the planning and prediction procedures of the brain’s mechanisms. In certain dementias and drug-induced states, the perception of reality is altered, similar to schizophrenia. This research helps understand mental conditions and provides treatment options.
Also read: World Schizophrenia Awareness Day: Is it bipolar disorder or schizophrenia? Experts explain the difference in symptoms
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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