Various cognitive activation tasks in schizophrenic patients have demonstrated an altered function of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) interconnecting the prefrontal cortex with limbic areas. This prefrontal dysfunction is a main target of antipsychotic treatment, as it is considered to be involved in both negative symptoms and cognitive dysfunction.

Two- (NoGo-anteriorization; NGA) and three-dimensional topographical measures (source locations with the Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography; LORETA) of the event-related potentials elicited during the execution (Go) and the inhibition (NoGo) condition of the Continuous Performance Test allow an assessment of anterior cingulate function with extraordinary high interindividual stability and retest reliability.

These methods revealed a significant brain electrical hypoactivity in the ACC of schizophrenic patients as compared to age- and gender-matched controls. Both a neuropsychological index of ACC performance and the proposed electrophysiological measure of this region have been shown to be improved in patients treated with atypical but not with typical antipsychotics.

These results support the notion that a functional deficit of the ACC during response control is a core feature in schizophrenias, which can be improved by atypical antipsychotic treatment.