Exploring the links between functional activation and hallucination proneness
Hallucinations are often associated with alterations in brain activation, particularly in language-related and sensory processing areas. Existing models suggest different frameworks for understanding the relationship between brain activation and hallucination proneness, yet practical evidence suppor...
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Elsevier
2025-09-01
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| Series: | Brain Research Bulletin |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923025002369 |
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| author | Abdullah M. Alotaibi Manal H. Alosaimi Razan S. Orfali Mansour Alshanawani Richard Bentall Georg Meyer |
| author_facet | Abdullah M. Alotaibi Manal H. Alosaimi Razan S. Orfali Mansour Alshanawani Richard Bentall Georg Meyer |
| author_sort | Abdullah M. Alotaibi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hallucinations are often associated with alterations in brain activation, particularly in language-related and sensory processing areas. Existing models suggest different frameworks for understanding the relationship between brain activation and hallucination proneness, yet practical evidence supporting these models remains limited. This study investigates the neural correlates of hallucination proneness in healthy individuals through functional MRI (fMRI) tasks focusing on both auditory and visual processing, including voice and text comprehension, face recognition, and audio-visual stimuli. Participants, primarily university students, completed Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale–Modified (LSHS-M) measures, including auditory (LSHS-A) and visual (LSHS-V) subscales, while undergoing fMRI scans. Correlations were examined between hallucination proneness scores and brain activation in task-relevant and task-irrelevant regions. Although no significant correlations were found between hallucination scores and activation in task-relevant areas, positive correlations emerged in language-related regions during visual tasks, suggesting increased engagement in task-irrelevant areas. These results point to an inhibition deficit in individuals with higher hallucination proneness, supporting theories of reduced cognitive control. Furthermore, lateralization indices showed no significant correlation with hallucination scores, challenging assumptions about the continuum hypothesis in non-clinical populations. Taken together, these findings highlight the complexity of the neural mechanisms underlying hallucination proneness. While the study provides partial support for inhibition-based theories, the largely null results highlight the need for sensitive tasks, robust statistical controls, and broader populations to fully elucidate the neurobiological basis of hallucination proneness. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d3767236647d4431b8d0a8ffc5891acc |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1873-2747 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Research Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj-art-d3767236647d4431b8d0a8ffc5891acc2025-08-20T03:57:56ZengElsevierBrain Research Bulletin1873-27472025-09-0122911142410.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111424Exploring the links between functional activation and hallucination pronenessAbdullah M. Alotaibi0Manal H. Alosaimi1Razan S. Orfali2Mansour Alshanawani3Richard Bentall4Georg Meyer5Research Centre, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh 12231, Saudi Arabia; Department of Experimental Psychology, Liverpool University, Liverpool L69 7ZX, UK; Correspondence to: Clinical Research Group Department, National Neuroscience Institute, King Fahad Medical City, Research Center, Saudi Arabia.Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, PO Box 10219, Riyadh 11433, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibin Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 13317, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah bin Abdulaziz University Hospital, Medical Imaging Department, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Cathedral Court, 1 Vicar Lane, Sheffield S1 2LT, UKDepartment of Experimental Psychology, Liverpool University, Liverpool L69 7ZX, UKHallucinations are often associated with alterations in brain activation, particularly in language-related and sensory processing areas. Existing models suggest different frameworks for understanding the relationship between brain activation and hallucination proneness, yet practical evidence supporting these models remains limited. This study investigates the neural correlates of hallucination proneness in healthy individuals through functional MRI (fMRI) tasks focusing on both auditory and visual processing, including voice and text comprehension, face recognition, and audio-visual stimuli. Participants, primarily university students, completed Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale–Modified (LSHS-M) measures, including auditory (LSHS-A) and visual (LSHS-V) subscales, while undergoing fMRI scans. Correlations were examined between hallucination proneness scores and brain activation in task-relevant and task-irrelevant regions. Although no significant correlations were found between hallucination scores and activation in task-relevant areas, positive correlations emerged in language-related regions during visual tasks, suggesting increased engagement in task-irrelevant areas. These results point to an inhibition deficit in individuals with higher hallucination proneness, supporting theories of reduced cognitive control. Furthermore, lateralization indices showed no significant correlation with hallucination scores, challenging assumptions about the continuum hypothesis in non-clinical populations. Taken together, these findings highlight the complexity of the neural mechanisms underlying hallucination proneness. While the study provides partial support for inhibition-based theories, the largely null results highlight the need for sensitive tasks, robust statistical controls, and broader populations to fully elucidate the neurobiological basis of hallucination proneness.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923025002369HallucinationsBrain activationThe continuum hypothesisLanguage-related areasFunctional MRI |
| spellingShingle | Abdullah M. Alotaibi Manal H. Alosaimi Razan S. Orfali Mansour Alshanawani Richard Bentall Georg Meyer Exploring the links between functional activation and hallucination proneness Brain Research Bulletin Hallucinations Brain activation The continuum hypothesis Language-related areas Functional MRI |
| title | Exploring the links between functional activation and hallucination proneness |
| title_full | Exploring the links between functional activation and hallucination proneness |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the links between functional activation and hallucination proneness |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the links between functional activation and hallucination proneness |
| title_short | Exploring the links between functional activation and hallucination proneness |
| title_sort | exploring the links between functional activation and hallucination proneness |
| topic | Hallucinations Brain activation The continuum hypothesis Language-related areas Functional MRI |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923025002369 |
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