Schizophrenic patients show facial reactions to emotional facial expressions

Facial reactions in schizophrenic patients were assessed via electromyograp hy (EMG) in response to pictures of facial expressions. Male patients and n onpatient controls viewed photographs of positive and negative facial expre ssions while EMG activity from the corrugator and zygomatic muscle regions was recorded. Both schizophrenic patients and controls exhibited greater zy gomatic reactivity in response to positive pictures than in response to neg ative pictures and greater corrugator reactivity in response to negative pi ctures than in response to positive pictures. Schizophrenic patients exhibi ted greater corrugator reactivity than did nonpatient controls. Implication s for understanding emotion expression and perception in schizophrenic pati ents are discussed.