Startle reflex habituation in functional psychoses: a controlled study.
The habituation of the startle reflex in a paradigm using electrical stimulation was studied in 17 psychotic patients and 18 healthy controls. The magnitude of the R2 component of the blink reflex differed between the groups (ANOVA, F = 5.81; P = 0.022) and during the course of trials (F = 25.72; P < 0.0001). Furthermore a statistically significant interaction of diagnosis x trials (F = 3.34; P = 0.022) emerged suggesting that an impairment in habituation of startle is present in patients but not in healthy controls despite a comparable reactivity.
Bolino
F
F
University of L'Aquila, Department of Psychiatry, S.M. di Collemaggio Hospital, Italy.
Manna
V
V
Di Cicco
L
L
Di Michele
V
V
Daneluzzo
E
E
Rossi
A
A
Casacchia
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001767:Blinking / Q000187:drug effects; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004566:Electrodes; D005260:Female; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology