Facial emotion-recognition deficits in patients with schizophrenia and unaffected first-degree relatives.

Abstract

This study aimed to determine trait- and state-dependent markers of schizophrenia by investigating facial emotion-recognition (FER) deficits in remitted patients with schizophrenia and their first-degree relatives (FR). Three groups were included: the Schizophrenia group (n=66), their unaffected FR group (n=40), and healthy controls (n=50) who were matched for age, sex, and years of education. A facial-labeling task was used to examine FER deficits using the following eight standardized expressions: happy, fearful, disgusted, angry, sad, contemptuous, surprised, and neutral. There was a poorer accuracy in the recognition of sadness and anger in the Schizophrenia group as well as in contempt in both the Schizophrenia and FR groups compared with healthy controls. The response times for the recognition of contempt, sadness, and neutral emotion were delayed in the Schizophrenia group and those for fear were delayed in the Schizophrenia and FR groups compared with healthy controls. Concerning the accuracy in FER, sadness and anger can be considered state-dependent markers of remitted schizophrenia, and contempt is a trait-dependent marker of schizophrenia. Similarly, for response times in FER, contempt, sadness, and neutral emotion can be considered state-dependent markers of remitted schizophrenia, while fear is considered a trait-dependent marker of schizophrenia. These findings may contribute to the early diagnosis of schizophrenia and the development of relevant therapeutic interventions.