N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor hypofunction causes recurrent and transient failures of perceptual inference

Perception alternates between an external mode, driven by sensory inputs, and an internal mode, shaped by prior knowledge. We found that the external mode is more prevalent during pharmacologically induced N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction and in schizophrenia. This NMDAR-dependent increase in external mode suggests that psychotic experiences are caused by recurring dissociations of perception from prior knowledge about the world.