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Effect of propranolol and phenothiazines on electrodermal orienting and habituation in schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

John Gruzelier ,
John Connolly ,
Frank Eves ,
Steven Hirsch ,
Saniha Zaki ,
Malcolm Weller  and
Neil Yorkston
John Gruzelier*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, University of London; Friern Hospital, London; and the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals,London
John Connolly
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, University of London; Friern Hospital, London; and the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals,London
Frank Eves
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, University of London; Friern Hospital, London; and the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals,London
Steven Hirsch
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, University of London; Friern Hospital, London; and the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals,London
Saniha Zaki
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, University of London; Friern Hospital, London; and the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals,London
Malcolm Weller
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, University of London; Friern Hospital, London; and the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals,London
Neil Yorkston
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, University of London; Friern Hospital, London; and the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals,London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr John Gruzelier, Department of Psychiatry, Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8RP.
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Synopsis

Bilateral electrodermal orienting responses were measured to repeated auditory stimuli in schizophrenic patients and controls. In 3 studies phasic activity to moderate intensity sounds of patients on no drugs or phenothiazines was predominantly hyper- or hypo-responsive. Controls showed moderate or slow habituation. Propranolol was found to facilitate habituation in slow habituators and to reinstate responses in half of non-responders, especially when given as the sole drug. The effects seldom had a counterpart in changes in non-specific responses or levels of skin conductance. Modulatory influences on stimulus and response processing and on lateral asymmetries in responses may underlie propranolol's efficacy in treating schizophrenia.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 11 , Issue 1 , February 1981 , pp. 93 - 108
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1981

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References

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