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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2011 Feb 1.
Published in final edited form as: Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2009 Sep 20;34(3):468. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.09.004

Table 4.

Studies Investigating Medial Prefrontal Cortical Functioning During Emotion Tasks

Study Task Medial Prefrontal Cortex
Group Diff Neg Pos
Hempel (2003)1 Emotion–labeling ↑ LR 0 0
Williams (2004)2 Fearful faces ↓ LR - 0.49
−0.49
0.49
Williams (2007)3 Negative faces ↓ R - 0.49
n.s. 0.49
Taylor (2007)4 Negative images vs.
neutral images		 ↑ 0 0.56
Effect Size – Quantitative - 0.36
Q - Heterogeneity Statistic (probability value) - 7.93 (0.24)
Confidence Interval Lower Bound - 0.16
Confidence Interval Upper Bound - 0.55

Correlation values reported in table (r or rho).

Neg = negative symptom dimension; Pos = positive symptom dimension Group diff = Difference between groups (where there were multiple patient groups this represented patients pooled together or the result of each individual patient group compared to controls); ↑= greater activation in patients compared to controls; ↓ = less activation in patients compared to controls; n.s. = non-significant contrast; L = left; R = right

Note: The direction of the effect size represents whether or not the effect is in a consistent direction with the abnormality compared to controls. A positive effect size represents that abnormal brain activity in patients compared to controls is associated with greater symptom severity (e.g., hypo- and hyperactivity compared to controls is associated with greater symptoms or greater symptoms in the patient group with the symptoms of interest), whereas a negative effect size represents the opposite (e.g., abnormal activity compared to controls is associated with fewer symptoms or the patient group with fewer symptoms of interest).

1

Symptom dimensions were PANSS positive and negative total scores.

2

The paranoid group was defined by moderate or greater severity ratings on delusions, suspiciousness, grandiosity, and excitement PANSS items. Other than these four items there was no significant difference between groups on any remaining PANSS items. Used best estimation to convert statistics comparing groups with differing symptom presentation/severity to r values reported in table.

3

The paranoid group was defined as moderate or greater severity on delusions, suspiciousness, grandiosity, and excitement on SAPS items. In addition, this group was defined as having greater passive/apathetic withdrawal and poor interpersonal function from the Social Functioning Scale. Used best estimation to convert statistics comparing groups with differing symptom presentation/severity to r values reported in table.

4

The positive symptoms group had greater symptoms of unusual thought content, suspiciousness, and hallucinations BPRS items. No patient included in the study had a score greater than mild on the disorganization BPRS item.