Labial EMG activity during wilful inner speech and during auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia

Abstract

International audienceWe examined lip and arm surface EMG activity in 23 healthy participants in tasks involving wilful inner speech (silent reading and silent generation of word definition) compared to relaxation and in 11 schizophrenia patients during auditory verbal hallucinations and rest periods. Results in healthy participants show that wilful inner speech corresponds to a significant increase in lip EMG activity compared with relaxation, while the activity in the arm muscle remains constant. Results in schizophrenia patients show a significant increase in lip EMG activity during AVHs relative to rest, without any increase of EMG activity in the arm muscle