Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) are a core symptom of
schizophrenia, which underlying neurobiology is still largely unclear.
Unraveling its pathophysiology may provide clues for new treatment
strategies for the 25% of patients who fail to respond to current
antipsychotic medication (Shergill et al., 1998).
Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies
have revealed important aspects of the neurobiology of AVH. Several
brain areas consistently showed activation during AVH (Jardri et al.,
2010), such as the right and left temporo-parietal cortices and Broca's
area and its right-sided homologue (Shergill et al., 2000; Sommer
et al., 2003; Hoffman et al., 2007; Sommer et al., 2007; Sommer et al.,
2008; Diederen et al., 2010). Temporo-parietal activation during AVH
probably reflects the perception of speech, while activity in the
bilateral inferior frontal areas suggests the production of language.