A systematic review on dysconnectivity in face and emotion processing networks in schizophrenia.
Amritha Harikumar, Junqiang Dai, Elaine F Walker et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review examined functional MRI studies of face and emotion processing networks in people with schizophrenia, including but not limited to first-episode psychosis. The authors searched four databases and reviewed nine English-language studies published from 2020 to 2025. Across resting-state and task-based studies, dysconnectivity was most consistently reported in executive-function, theory-of-mind/mentalizing, default-mode, limbic, and visual-perceptual systems. The review also described social-cognitive difficulties, particularly in processing negative emotional faces, and noted elevated PANSS positive scores alongside social-cognition deficits in first-episode patients.
Key findings
- Nine studies published from 2020 to 2025 met the review criteria.
- Dysconnectivity was most consistently reported in executive-function, theory-of-mind/mentalizing, default-mode, limbic, and visual-perceptual systems.
- Reviewed studies linked social-cognition deficits with difficulty recognizing and processing negative emotional faces.
- First-episode patients showed elevated PANSS positive scores alongside social-cognition deficits.
Why it matters
Face and emotion processing difficulties can affect social interaction and social cognition in schizophrenia. The review brings together evidence that these difficulties occur alongside altered connectivity across several brain systems, rather than a single network. This network-level perspective may help frame research into how clinical symptoms and social-cognitive impairments relate, while the small evidence base calls for caution.
What to keep in mind
Only nine studies met the review criteria, and the included studies varied in patient subtype and whether fMRI was resting-state or task-based.