Inquiry Question: “How do disruptions in predictive coding and dopaminergic signaling interact to drive the early onset of auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia?”

We chose this research question because auditory hallucinations are one of the most common and distressing symptoms of schizophrenia. By investigating predictive coding and dopaminergic signaling, we aim to study two of the most significant neural processes that interact to generate hallucinations. Predictive coding helps the brain distinguish self-generated from external sensory information, while dopamine is crucial for assigning salience to stimuli. Disruption of these processes can generate illusory sound perceptions—a hallmark of auditory hallucinations.

By examining how such disruption interacts, our research moves beyond simply seeing correlations. Instead, we examine causal pathways, e.g., whether too much dysregulation of dopamine leads to predictive coding errors or vice versa. Such a question could refine neural models of schizophrenia and potentially be used to guide new treatments based on early symptom occurrence.

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