Auditory evoked dipole source activity: indicator of central serotonergic dysfunction in psychiatric patients?
Event-related potentials reflect postsynaptic effects of cortical neurotransmitters and may be useful as indicators of the function of neurochemical systems. Arguments are presented for the hypothesis that the stimulus-intensity dependence of the auditory-evoked N1/P2 component may be a noninvasive indicator of behaviorally relevant aspects of central serotonergic activity. Converging evidence from our own studies as well as from the literature suggest that a pronounced intensity dependence of this component reflects low central serotonergic neurotransmission and vice versa. Dipole source analysis represents an important methodological advance in this context, because N1/P2 subcomponents generated by different cortical structures with different serotonergic innervation can be separated.
Department of Psychiatry, Free University of Berlin, Germany.
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U
Hegerl
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G
Juckel
D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology
D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D012701:Serotonin