Cerebral lateralization in schizophrenia and dyslexia: neuromagnetic responses to auditory stimuli

Many studies have shown altered hemispheric asymmetry-particularly in perisylvian regions-in schizophrenia patients as well as in individuals with dyslexia. Here we explore the similarity of these findings comparing the localization of the magnetic auditory N100m to the German syllable [ba:] in schizophrenia patients, dyslexic adults, and healthy control subjects. Control subjects showed the typical finding of more anterior sources in the right than in the left perisylvian region. In contrast, both schizophrenia patients and dyslexic subjects displayed a symmetrical N100m source configuration. While in people with dyslexia the alteration appears to originate in the right hemisphere, left-hemispheric deviations might contribute to reduced asymmetry in schizophrenia patients. Our results indicate that an absence of lateralized auditory responses in the temporal lobes may reflect a common deviance present in dyslexia and schizophrenia. The nonspecific finding of reduced cerebral laterality may be accounted for by population-specific differences in the functional organization of perisylvian sites. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.