title: Stress induced by the socially evaluated cold-pressor test cause equivalent deficiencies of sensory gating in male subjects with schizophrenia and healthy controls.
abstract: It is known that patients with schizophrenia show a deficiency in the prepulse inhibition reflex (PPI). These patients display abnormalities in autonomic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function and may have an altered sensitivity to stress. To date, no studies have been carried out to determine the effect of acute stress on the PPI. We investigated whether there was a differential response in reactivity to acute stress caused by the socially evaluated cold-pressor test (SECPT) in a sample of 58 chronic male patients with schizophrenia and 28 healthy control subjects. PPI, salivary cortisol and heart rate (HR) were measured. The patients were evaluated in two sessions (with and without the SECPT) 72 h apart and basal measurements were carried out and 30 min post-startle probe. We found an increase in salivary cortisol levels and the HR with SECPT condition in both groups and a significantly lower PPI% in patients with schizophrenia. The most relevant findings of this study are that the impairment of the PPI is increased by stress. Stress-induced increase in cortisol in both groups, mainly in healthy control group which allows us to hypothesize that at least such deterioration may be due to the hypercortisolemia caused by the SECPT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; "Hospital 12 de Octubre" Research Institute, Madrid, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Networks for Cooperative Research in Health (RETICS-Addictive Disorder Network), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rubio
authors.affiliation: "Hospital 12 de Octubre" Research Institute, Madrid, Spain; Genomic Medicine and Faculty of Health Sciences, Camilo José Cela University, Madrid, Spain; Department of Biomedical Sciences (Pharmacology Area), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: flopez@ucjc.edu.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: López-Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; "Hospital 12 de Octubre" Research Institute, Madrid, Spain; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Camilo José Cela University, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jurado-Barba
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; "Hospital 12 de Octubre" Research Institute, Madrid, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Networks for Cooperative Research in Health (RETICS-Addictive Disorder Network), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Martínez-Gras
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; "Hospital 12 de Octubre" Research Institute, Madrid, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Networks for Cooperative Research in Health (RETICS-Addictive Disorder Network), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Jiménez
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Camilo José Cela University, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Espinosa
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Camilo José Cela University, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel Ángel
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Pérez-Nieto
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Research Center Network for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Center for Biomedical Technology, Polytechnic University, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moratti
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; "Hospital 12 de Octubre" Research Institute, Madrid, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Networks for Cooperative Research in Health (RETICS-Addictive Disorder Network), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel Ángel
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Arriero
authors.affiliation: "Hospital 12 de Octubre" Research Institute, Madrid, Spain; Biomedical Research Center Network for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Department of Pharmacology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carlos Leza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059031:Anticipation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003080:Cold Temperature; D058639:Cold-Shock Response / Q000502:physiology*; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D065808:Prepulse Inhibition / Q000502:physiology*; D011599:Psychopathology; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D055139:Sensory Gating / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D006220:Haloperidol; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Cortisol; Prepulse inhibition; Psychopathology; Schizophrenia; Socially evaluated cold-pressor test; Stress