Long-range temporal correlations in violence and psychosis: An EEG-based study

Nina Bang; Merete Berg Nesset; Kirsten Rasmussen; Hilde Dahl; Christina Bell; Thomas Fischer-Vieler; Christine Friestad; Ole A Andreassen; Torgeir Moberget; Erik G Jönsson; Knut A Skaug; Unn K Haukvik; Torbjørn Elvsåshagen

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.11.013

Long-range temporal correlations in violence and psychosis: An EEG-based study

J Psychiatr Res. 2025 Nov 21:193:188-197. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.11.013. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ St.Olavs Hospital, Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry Security, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Mental Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neuropsychology, Helgeland Hospital, Mosjøen, Norway. Electronic address: nina.bang@stolav.no.
² St.Olavs Hospital, Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry Security, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Mental Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
³ St.Olavs Hospital, Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry Security, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Mental Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
⁴ Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
⁵ Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Section for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Drammen, Norway.
⁶ Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; University College of Norwegian Correctional Services, Lillestrøm, Norway.
⁷ Section for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
⁸ Section for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology, Pedagogy and Law, School of Health Sciences, Kristiania University of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
⁹ Section for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Centre for Psychiatric Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Sciences, Stockholm Region, Stockholm, Sweden.
¹⁰ Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway.
¹¹ Section for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Adult Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway.
¹² Section for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Behavioral Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: torbjorn.elvsashagen@medisin.uio.no.

PMID: 41319361
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.11.013

Abstract

Background: A subgroup of individuals with psychosis have increased violence risk. Long-range temporal correlations (LRTC) in electroencephalography (EEG) reflect neural dynamics, but their relevance to violence risk remains unclear.

Methods: Resting-state EEG was collected from four groups: healthy controls (HC, n = 134), individuals with psychosis and violence history (violent-PSY, n = 16), individuals with psychosis without such history (nonviolent-PSY, n = 38), and violent individuals without psychosis (violent non-PSY, n = 23). LRTC was quantified using detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) of mean and peak amplitude dynamics in alpha and beta bands during eyes-closed (EC) and eyes-open (EO) conditions, yielding eight metrics: LRTC for mean and peak amplitudes of alpha_EC, beta_EC, alpha_EO, and beta_EO.

Results: No significant group differences in LRTC were observed in eyes-open conditions (all p > 0.05). In contrast, eyes-close conditions showed significantly reduced LRTC in the nonviolent-PSY group relative to controls for mean alpha_EC, peak alpha_EC, and mean beta_EC (all p < 0.05; Cohen's d's = 0.49-0.59). No significant LRTC difference emerged between violent and nonviolent psychosis groups. Other group comparisons were non-significant. Lower alpha-band LRTC was associated with greater symptom severity, including higher total PANSS and depressive subscale scores (all p < 0.05; r's = -0.26 to -0.28).

Conclusions: LRTC was reduced in the nonviolent-PSY group compared to controls but not significantly altered in the violent-PSY group. Nor did it differentiate between psychosis with or without violence history. Although further studies are needed, these findings provide limited support for LRTC as a marker of violence propensity in psychosis.

Keywords: EEG; Long-range temporal correlations (LRTC); Schizophrenia; Violence.