Abnormal Experience of Positive Stimuli a Possible Intervention Target in Schizophrenia

People with schizophrenia and people at risk for psychosis experience pleasant and negative stimuli differently than healthy controls, according to results from a meta-analysis of more than 100 emotion-induction studies published in JAMA Psychiatry.

“In this study, there was a reliable pattern of aberrant emotional experience in schizophrenia, most notably for pleasant stimuli, that already manifested before disorder onset,” wrote first author Marcel Riehle, PhD, from the University of Hamburg Institute for Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy in Germany, and study coauthors.

READ>>Add-on N-acetyl-cysteine, Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids May Benefit Patients With Schizophrenia

The systematic review and meta-analysis included 111 studies that analyzed positive or negative emotional experiences in response to emotionally evocative stimuli in people with schizophrenia, at risk for psychosis, or healthy controls. Among a total 6913 participants, 41.2% had schizophrenia and 12.7% were at risk for psychosis.

People with schizophrenia and people at risk for psychosis experienced pleasant stimuli as less positive and more negative compared with healthy controls, according to the study. Additionally, those with schizophrenia or at risk for psychosis felt neutral stimuli as more negative—and unpleasant stimuli as both more positive and more negative—than did healthy controls.

Odors were associated with a less aberrant emotional experience than visual stimuli, analysis found. Meanwhile, higher negative symptoms in people with schizophrenia were linked with diminished positive emotion amid pleasant stimuli. 

“Results suggest a pattern of aberrant emotional experience of normative stimuli in schizophrenia, and that this already was observable before disorder onset,” researchers wrote. “In particular, the aberrant experience of pleasant stimuli needs to be considered as an intervention target.”

Reference

Riehle M, Straková A, Lincoln TM. Emotional experience of people with schizophrenia and people at risk for psychosis: a meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry. Published online September 27, 2023. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.3589

Are you interested in more schizophrenia news and treatment resources?

Visit the topic center.