P3 in the Auditory Event-Related Evoked Potential of Schizophrenia(I): P3 in the Schizophrenics

Oh, D J; Chang, H I

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To examine a defect in inhibitory gating of auditory evoked response in schizophrenics, to compare P3 latency and amplitude in negative and positive schizophrenics, and to assess the association of P3 with family history of the psychiatric disorders, electroconvulsive therapy and clinical features.
METHODS
54 schizophrenics(male 31, female 23) and 75 controls(male 33, female 42) were tested with event-related potential paradigm designed to elicit P3 response and Frankfurter Beschwerde Fragebogen.
RESULTS
In schizophrenics, the latency of P3 was significantly more delayed and the amplitude of P3 was significantly more reduced than in the controls. Significant differences in P3 latency and amplitude between negative and positive schizophrenics were not found. And significant difference in the P3 latency and amplitude between schizophrenics with family histories of psychiatric disorder and those without family histories of psychiatric disorder was not found also. The P3 latency and amplitude was not significantly related with electroconvulsive therapy and other clinical features such as age, duration of illness, onset of illnes, number of admission, and doses of antipsychotics etc.
CONCLUSION
These results suggested that schizophrenics had a dysfunction in the process of selective attention and that P3 was not significantly related with family history of the psychiatric disorders, positive and negative symptoms, electrolconvulsive therapy, and clinical features in schizophrenics.