Distinct oscillatory mechanisms in low and high alpha-band activities for screening and potential treatment of Schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia (ScZ) is characterized by prominent perceptual abnormalities. A deeper understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying these abnormalities is crucial for developing precise treatment strategies. Our study aimed to address the following primary questions. First, the functional role of various sub-oscillations within the alpha band remains unclear. Second, we aimed to identify biomarkers for the diagnostic purposes of ScZ. Third, the broader question of whether the diagnostic biomarker can also function as a treatment biomarker remains unknown. Resting-state EEG data from 55 ScZ patients and 61 healthy controls were analyzed to compare different sub-oscillations in the alpha band and their correlation with clinical symptoms (as measured by the general psychopathology scale). We discovered that distinct topographic patterns in low (~8 Hz) and high (~12 Hz) alpha may serve specific diagnostic and evaluative purposes respectively. Moreover, a pronounced gender bias was also observed. Low-alpha-band activity appeared to have more diagnostic relevance in females. On the other hand, the high-alpha difference was more relevant for evaluating the severity of symptoms in ScZ males. Our research has brought new insights into the neural oscillation mechanism of schizophrenia, which could substantially assist the formulating diagnosis of ScZ and the development of its treatment strategies.