[P50 sensory gating disorders of auditory evoked potentials (AEP) in persons with schizophrenia]

Abstract

The paper presents a review of recent data on research and clinical significance of gating of the P50 component of the auditory evoked potentials (AEP). Information filters are a necessary element for the proper functioning of the brain. It appears as though they have an important role in the information-transfer mechanisms. Neurophysiologically, they appear hypothetically in the sensory gating of the P50 component of the AEP. Schizophrenic patients and their first degree relatives do not have proper sensory gating of the P50 AEP. This suggests that there is a common biological base for these disorders. Some clinical aspects of the schizophrenic psychoses can be linked to this disordered gating. There are also notes which show the contrary. Currently we do not know whether the improper sensory gating of the P50 AEP is a trait endophenotypically linked to schizophrenia, or only something that partially explains the pathophysiology of the illness--especially since the described phenomena may be evoked in healthy persons.