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Enhanced automatic action imitation and intact imitation- inhibition in schizophrenia

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posted on 2023-06-09, 11:44 authored by Arndis Simonsen, Riccardo Fusaroli, Joshua Charles Skewes, Andreas Roepstorff, Dan Campbell-MeiklejohnDan Campbell-Meiklejohn, Ole Mors, Vibeke Bilksted
Imitation plays a key role in social learning and in facilitating social interactions and likely constitutes a basic building block of social cognition that supports higher-level social abilities. Recent findings suggest that patients with schizophrenia have imitation impairments that could contribute to the social impairments associated with the disorder. However, extant studies have specifically assessed voluntary imitation or automatic imitation of emotional stimuli without controlling for potential confounders. The imitation impairments seen might therefore be secondary to other cognitive, motoric or emotional deficits associated with the disorder. To overcome this issue, we used an automatic imitation paradigm with nonemotional stimuli to assess automatic imitation and the top-down modulation of imitation where participants were required to lift one of two fingers according to a number shown on the screen whilst observing the same or the other finger movement. In addition, we used a control task with a visual cue in place of a moving finger, to isolate the effect of observing finger movement from other visual cueing effects. Data from 33 patients (31 medicated) and 40 matched healthy controls were analyzed. Patients displayed enhanced imitation and intact top-down modulation of imitation. The enhanced imitation seen in patients may have been medication induced as larger effects were seen in patients receiving higher antipsychotic doses. In sum, we did not find an imitation impairment in schizophrenia. The results suggest that previous findings of impaired imitation in schizophrenia might have been due to other cognitive, motoric and/or emotional deficits.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Schizophrenia Bulletin

ISSN

0586-7614

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Issue

1

Volume

45

Page range

87-95

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Research groups affiliated with

  • Sussex Neuroscience Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2018-01-23

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2019-02-21

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2018-01-23

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