STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL DISCONNECTIVITY BETWEEN DIFFERENT BRAIN AREAS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA: THE ROLE OF INTEGRATIVE PERCEPTION
On the basis of analysis of literary sources concerning structural changes in different brain areas and inconsistent functional communication between them in schizophrenia, the author emphasizes the role of impaired integrative perception (which could be prior to executive function and could underlie it) as a significant mechanism in the development of disease. Phenome-nologically, these disturbances show as distorted comprehensive perception of environment: from minor circumstances (for instance, weaker reaction to pain in schizophrenic patients) to complex synthetic analysis of social context (emotions of others, evaluation of their behavior etc.). This hypothesis serves the basis for possible approaches towards psychosocial therapy.