Studies of autonomic psychophysiology and attention in schizophrenia

Abstract

Research from this laboratory over the years has found a rather consistent pattern of high baseline levels of many (but not all) indices of autonomic activity, slow adaptation, and attenuated autonomic reactivity to significant stimuli and situations in schizophrenia and that this pattern may be related to prognosis. Our studies have also shown that qualitatively similar changes occur in healthy subjects after a dose of dextroamphetamine and that certain aspects of the pattern are exaggerated in schizophrenic patients with cortical atrophy. It is hypothesized that there are specific autonomic markers for the two syndromes of schizophrenia defined by positive and negative symptoms which reflect distinct biological mechanisms. Current research seeks to determine the biological and symptomatic correlates of autonomic activity, to establish the specificity of certain autonomic markers to schizophrenia versus other major diagnoses, and to study the mechanisms and improve the assessment of attentional deficits in schizophrenia.