Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T15:58:37.677Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Stable Abnormalities in the Lateralisation of early Cortical Somatosensory Evoked Potentials in Schizophrenic Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

J. E. Cooper*
Affiliation:
University of Nottingham Medical School, Clifton Boulevard, Nottingham NG7 2UH
H. Andrews
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Nottingham Medical School
C. Barber
Affiliation:
University of Nottingham Medical School
*
Correspondence

Summary

During the investigation of somatosensory evoked cortical potentials arising from a complex vibro-tactile stimulus to the forefingers, an abnormal lack of lateralisation of response was found in 10 out of 21 schizophrenic patients. Eight patients with severe affective illness all had the expected degree of lateralisation of cortical potentials, as did 12 out of 15 normals. Three normals and 3 schizophrenic patients had a loss of lateralisation of the evoked response on stimulation of one hand but a normal lateralisation on stimulation of the other. The considerable technical problems of this and related techniques are discussed, but it is suggested that further exploration of this technique is justified. At this stage, no conclusion can be drawn about the cause of the abnormalities.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andrews, H. B., House, A. D., Cooper, J. E. & Barber, C. (1985) The symptom pattern in schizophrenic patients with stable abnormalities of laterality of somatosensory cortical evoked responses. British Journal of Psychiatry (in press).Google Scholar
A. P. A. (1980) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd edition. Washington D.C.: American Psychiatric Association.Google Scholar
Barrett, G., Halliday, A. M. & Halliday, E. (1980) Evoked potential asymmetries related to handedness and side of stimulation. In Progress in Brain Research, (eds. Kornhuber, H. H. and Deecke, L.) 54, 761766. Amsterdam: Elsevier.Google Scholar
Connolly, J. F. (1982) Correspondence. British Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 429430.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Connolly, J. F. (1983) Correspondence. British Journal of Psychiatry, 142, 536.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Connolly, J. F. Gruzelier, J. H., Manchanda, R. & Hirsch, S. R. (1983) Visual evoked potentials in schizophrenia: Intensity effects and hemispheric asymmetry. British Journal of Psychiatry, 142, 152155.Google Scholar
Fenwick, P., Brenna, D. & Philpot, M. (1983) Correspondence. British Journal of Psychiatry, 143, 524.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flor-Henry, P. (1983) Cerebral Basis of Psychopathology. London: John Wright.Google Scholar
Gruzelier, J. H. (1979) Lateral asymmetries in electrodermal activity and psychosis. In Hemisphere Asymmetries of Function in Psychopathology, eds. Gruzelier, J. H. and Flor-Henry, P. Amsterdam: Elsevier/North Holland.Google Scholar
Gruzelier, J. H. & Manchanda, R. (1982) The syndrome of schizophrenia: Relations between electrodermal response, lateral asymmetries and clinical ratings. British Journal of Psychiatry, 141, 488495.Google Scholar
Jones, G. H. & Miller, J. J. (1981) Functional tests of the corpus callosum in schizophrenia. British Journal of Psychiatry, 139, 553557.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lancet (1979) Psychosis and lateralisation of the brain. Lancet, 2, 12761277.Google Scholar
Papakostopoulos, D., Cooper, R. & Crow, H. J. (1974) Cortical potentials evoked by finger displacement in man. Nature, 252, 582584.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Salamy, A. (1978) Commissural transmission: maturational changes in humans. Science, 200, 14091410.Google Scholar
Shagass, C., Josiassen, R. C., Roeiner, R. A., Straumanis, J. J. & Slepner, S. M. (1983) Failure to replicate evoked potential observations suggesting corpus callosum dysfunction in schizophrenia. British Journal of Psychiatry, 142, 471476.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schneider, S. (1983) Multiple measures of hemispheric dysfunction in schizophrenia and depression. Psychological Medicine, 13, 287397.Google Scholar
Tress, K. H., Caudrey, D. J. & Mehta, B. (1983) Tactile-evoked potentials in schizophrenia. Interhemispheric transfer and drug effects. British Journal of Psychiatry, 143, 156164.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
WHO (1978) Mental Disorders: Glossary and Guide to their Classification in Accordance with the Ninth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases. Geneva: World Health Organisation.Google Scholar
WHO (1981) Current State of Diagnosis and Classification in the Mental Health Field: A report from the WHO/ADAMHA Joint Project on Diagnosis and Classification of Mental Disorders and Alcohol-and Drug-Related Problems. Geneva: World Health Organisation.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.