A Study of Visual Event-Related Potential P300 in Schizophrenia

정신분열병의 시각자극 사건유발전위 P300에 대한 연구

Objective:Event-related potentials(ERPs) are electrical changes recorded at the surface of the scalp in response to stimulus presentation, and their latency and amplitude change according to cognitive processes. Through past studies of the auditory ERP in schizophrenia, the P300 has been reported to be statistically smaller and delayed in schizophrenia than comparison groups. However, studies of the visual ERP have not been systematically examined. The present study was designed to investigate the visual P300 in patients with schizophrenia and normal controls and to compare the pattern of P300 between them. Methods:The subjects were composed of patients(N=22) with schizophrenia by DSM-IV and normal controls(N=22). The visual ERPs were measured by the visual continuous performance test. P300 amplitude and latency measured on 5 scalp electrodes(Fz, Cz, Pz, $T_7$, $T_8$) were compared between patients and controls. Results:The P300 latencies measured on Fz, Cz, Pz, and $T_7$ electrodes were significantly longer in patients than controls(p<0.05). The P300 amplitudes in patients were smaller than controls. However, the difference between them was not statistically significant. Conclusion:Analysis of the visual ERPs showed that the P300 latency is significantly delayed and the P300 amplitude is slightly smaller in patients than controls. These results are similar to established studies of the auditory P300 in schizophrenia.