The cognitive neuropsychiatry of auditory verbal hallucinations: An overview

Abstract

Introduction. The cognitive neuropsychiatric approach to auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) attempts to explain the phenomena in cognitive or information-processing terms and ultimately their brain bases. Methods. A narrative review of the literature and an overview of this special issue of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry. Results. First, an operational definition of AVHs is offered. Next, clues to etiology are derived from a detailed consideration of the clinical phenomenology of “voices”, their form and content. Functional and structural neuroimaging studies suggest the importance of left-side language areas in the generation/perception of AVHs. Conclusions. Existing cognitive neuropsychiatric models provide a useful framework for the understanding of AVHs. However, data need to be applied more specifically to these models so that they may be refined.