P300 in schizophrenia: confirmation and statistical validation of temporal region deficit in P300 topography.

Comparison of normal and medicated schizophrenic groups on the auditory P300 component of the event-related potential confirmed our earlier finding of a left temporal deficit in P300 amplitude in schizophrenia. A difference in P300 topography between groups was evident in both color mapping and in grand-averaged waveforms, which was statistically validated by the presence of a group-by-scalp region interaction (p less than 0.05). The left temporal area in schizophrenics was denoted as the region of greatest deficit and of maximal statistical separation (p less than 0.05) relative to normals by t statistic mapping (SPM), Hotelling's T-squared "protected" contrasts of individual scalp regions, and the relative ratio of left scalp amplitudes to right scalp amplitudes. The left temporal scalp region yielding maximal group separation in the previous study also statistically separated the schizophrenic group from the normal group. This feature correctly differentiated 9 of 11 schizophrenics and 7 of 9 controls. These findings are compatible with other histological, metabolic, and electrophysiological studies suggesting temporal lobe abnormality in schizophrenia.