• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.1-26
• /
• 2017

This study investigated the cortical generators of P300 in college students with schizotypal traits by using an auditory oddball paradigm, event-related potentials (ERPs) and standardized low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) model. We also investigated the relationship between the current density of P300 and the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia. Based on the scores of Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire(SPQ), schizotypal trait (n=37) and control (n=42) groups were selected. For the measurement of P300, an auditory oddball paradigm, in which frequent standard tones (1000Hz) and rare target tones (1500Hz) were presented randomly, was used. Participants were required to count the number of the target tones during the task and report this at the end of the experiment. The two groups did not differ significantly in the accuracy of the oddball task. The schizotypal trait group showed significantly smaller P300 amplitudes than control group. In terms of source localization, both groups showed the P300 current density over bilateral frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes. However, the schizotypal trait group showed significantly reduced activations in the left superior temporal gyrus and the right middle temporal gyrus, but increased activations in both left inferior frontal gyrus and right superior frontal gyrus compared to the control group. Furthermore, a negative correlation between the current density of the right superior frontal gyrus and SPQ disorganization score was found in the schizotypal trait group. These findings indicate that the individuals with schizotypal traits have dysfunctions of frontal and temporal areas, which are known to be the source of P300, as observed in patients with schizophrenia. In addition, the present results indicate that the disorganization score, rather than total score, of the SPQ is useful in predicting the risk of future schizophrenia.