Mutual Information of Multiple Rhythms in Schizophrenia

Abstract

Interactions between different cortical rhythms, such as slow and fast oscillations, have been hypothesized to underlie many cognitive functions. In patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, there is some evidence indicating that the interplay between slow and fast oscillations might be impaired or disrupted. In this study, we investigated multiple oscillatory interactions in schizophrenia using a novel approach based on information theory. This method allowed us to investigate interactions from a new perspective, where two or more rhythm interactions could be analyzed at the same time. We calculated the mutual information of multiple rhythms (MIMR) for EEG segments registered in resting state. Following previous studies, we focused on rhythm interactions between theta, alpha, and gamma. The results showed that, in general, MIMR was higher in patients than in controls for alpha–gamma and theta–gamma couplings. This finding of an increased coupling between slow and fast rhythms in schizophrenia may indicate complex interactions in the Default Mode Network (DMN) related to hyperactivation of internally guided cognition.