Long-term stability of resting frontal EEG alpha asymmetry and power in a sample of stable community outpatients with schizophrenia

The authors examined the long-term stability of resting regional EEG alpha asymmetry and power (i.e., markers of affective style) in a sample of 15 stable community outpatients with schizophrenia. We found that resting frontal EEG alpha asymmetry and power both remained stable over a 36-month interval before and after controlling for patients' positive and negative symptoms. This same pattern was not evidenced in the posterior EEG sites. These findings provide preliminary evidence of a putative psychophysiological trait marker of affective style in stable community outpatients with schizophrenia.