Abnormal EEG microstates linked to Schizophrenia

Several genes have been associated with schizophrenia. However, each gene only explains a small portion of the genetic risk. For this reason, stable markers, so called endophenotypes, are of great interest. In this work, da Cruz and colleagues studied the temporal dynamics of EEG microstates (stable scalp topographies) in patients with a first episode of psychosis, patients with schizophrenia, their healthy siblings, and healthy controls. Patients and their siblings showed abnormal microstates dynamics compared to controls, suggesting that these abnormalities might be a marker indexing a genetic risk for schizophrenia. Since the dynamics microstates can be altered by neuromodulation, these results open avenues for the development of new treatments for the disorder.