Prepulse modification of acoustic startle reaction in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls

: Prepulse modification of acoustic startle reaction (ASR) was studied in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls according to the protocol recommended by the Consortium on the genetics of schizophrenia. Patients displayed the reduced ASR magnitude of prepulse inhibition (PPI) and increased startle latency prepulse facilitation (PPF) at 60 ms lead interval. The ASR amplitude PPF at 2500 ms lead interval was also impaired in patients. Effects of the recent head trauma and psychoactive drug experience on the ASR prepulse modification were different in patients and controls. The high baseline amplitude and short ASR latency in patients were correlated with the excitation level measured with the PANSS (item P4) whereas the PPF reduction was correlated with the high total score on the PANSS positive subscale. These results suggest the possibility of using ASR prepulse modification in clinical neurophysiology.