Delusions - Etiology, Frequency & Neural Correlates
Clinical Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Final Report Abstract
The DFG project "WAHN – Ätiologie, Häufigkeit & Neuronale Korrelate" focused on the investigation of delusional phenomena, with a special emphasis on reference and paranoid delusions. The main goal was to gain insights into the mechanisms and distribution of delusional beliefs in the general population. By using methods such as Ecological Momentary Assessment, supplemented by neuropsychological tests and MRI assessments, the dimensionality and frequency of delusional experiences were recorded. This study brought to light new findings about the psychological and neural processes underlying the development of delusions. Particularly noteworthy is the importance of these findings for the general population, as they illustrate that psychosis-like experiences are a widespread phenomenon that also occur outside of clinically diagnosed disorders. Furthermore, it was shown that the extent of paranoia correlates with various psychological traits that play a central role in the model of delusion development. These include, among others, attachment style, neglect in childhood, general symptom burden, anxiety, and self-confidence. The results of the neurobiological investigations were still pending at the time of submission of this report. Therefore, this document describes the planned analyses.
Publications
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Konferenz: Interdisciplinary conference on the study of mental health (10.-12.07.2023). Examination of the structure and prediction of delusional experiences in a large German sample
Maja Neidhart
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Annual Congress of the Schizophrenia International Research Society (03.-07.04.2024). The architecture of paranoia in the general population: a self-report and ecological momentary assessment study
Maja Neidhart
