Temporal processing in schizophrenia: Review

Abstract

We review the main contributions of the cognitive neuroscience literature in the field of time processing in schizophrenia. First, we summarize the theoretical concepts and terminology related to time and time estimation and the characterization of this deficit in the illness. Second, we thoroughly review the neuroanatomical basis of this deficit and its interactions with other cognitive processes and clinical symptoms. Third, we specifically highlight the main findings of studies that have analyzed temporal discrimination using cognitive tasks performed during functional neuroimaging. Summary: This review aims to summarize the main findings of the neuroscientific and cognitive literature on temporality in schizophrenia. First, we will provide a brief introduction regarding the theoretical and conceptual issues and then will delve into the importance of their disturbance in this disorder, particularly underlying brain structures and the interactions they have with other cognitive dysfunctions and psychopathological symptoms. This review includes different studies that describe both behavioral and neuroscientific approaches, although it focuses especially on tasks of temporal discrimination on the milliseconds scale and on the studies that use functional neuroimaging techniques.

Keywords

• Timing
• Cognition
• Neuroimaging studies
• Cognitive control
• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar disorder