The neural substrates of diminished humor comprehension in schizophrenia and its relationship with psychopathology

Patients with schizophrenia commonly revealed difficulties in understanding humor. Previous research suggested links between impaired humor comprehension, psychopathology symptoms and cognitive deficits. In this study, we investigated the associations neural substrates of processing cognition schizophrenia. We assessed 25 outpatients an functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) procedure 40 electroencephalography (EEG) procedure. A punchline-based comprehension task was used which rated stories by their comprehensibility funniness. The symptom severity were correlated activation within network using fMRI effective connectivity EEG-based directed transfer function (DTF) method. More severe positive disorganization associated altered temporo-parietal during processing. excitement emotional reactivity increased bilateral frontal regions. Moreover, better functioning more accurate that fronto-temporo-parietal connectivity. found intensity is related to level abilities also reflected (EEG-DTF) network.