title: Event-related potentials (ERPs) as indicators of risk for schizophrenia.
abstract: Evidence is reviewed concerning the viability of cognitive event-related potential (ERP) indices to serve as psychophysiological markers for liability to schizophrenia and schizophrenia-related disorders. Methodologic problems that hinder the establishment of ERPs as such markers are also detailed. The ERP data from prospective high-risk and family-transmission paradigms were subjected to criteria that have been used to establish the marker status of a psychobiological variable. It is concluded that (1) there is a clear need for more studies of ERP component stability and of transmission of ERP parameters within normal families; (2) multiple tasks (in addition to the oddball experiment) must be used to probe the range of information-processing deficits in the schizophrenic syndrome; (3) investigators should pay greater attention to the scalp distribution of ERP components; and (4) profiles of multiple ERP indices may be required to enhance the probability of achieving diagnostic specificity.
authors.affiliation: New York State Psychiatric Institute, NY 10032.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Squires-Wheeler
mesh_terms: D001143:Arousal / Q000235:genetics*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology