[Kinesthetic brain evoked potentials in schizophrenia]

Cortical kinesthetic evoked potentials (KEPs) of the brain to passive radiocarpal flexion of the hand in 16 schizophrenic patients with catatonic syndrome have been studied. Significant changes of amplitude and time parameters of the early components of the KERs were shown in patients being in the catatonic substupor state, as well as normalization of these parameters after the disappearance of catatonic symptoms. It is suggested that the phenomenon of excessive exitation of corpus striatum leads to irritation of motor zones of cerebral cortex regulating the processes of proprioceptive information transmission in the kinesthetic analyzer, which is accompanied by sensory projections blockade, is the basis of substuporous states.