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Reflex modification in psychosis-prone young adults.
1Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark 19716.
Psychophysiology
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Individuals with perceptual aberrations show reduced startle reflex inhibition, similar to those with schizophrenia. This suggests a shared underdeveloped sensory processing mechanism in psychosis-prone individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Psychopathology
Background:
- The startle reflex is a fundamental protective mechanism.
- Individuals with schizophrenia exhibit altered startle reflex modification.
- Psychosis-proneness is associated with traits resembling schizophrenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate startle reflex modification in psychosis-prone individuals.
- To compare psychosis-prone subjects with normal controls.
- To explore sensory gating deficits in perceptual aberration.
Main Methods:
- Assessed startle reflex eyeblink magnitude using electro-oculography.
- Utilized a continuous pure tone prestimulus (S1) and white noise startle stimulus (S2).
- Examined reflex modification at short (60, 120 ms) and long (2000 ms) onset asynchronies.
Main Results:
- Perceptual aberration subjects showed significantly less blink inhibition than controls at 120 ms onset asynchrony.
- No significant differences were found between anhedonia and control subjects.
- No group differences emerged at the long 2000 ms stimulus onset asynchrony.
Conclusions:
- Perceptual aberrations may be linked to an underdeveloped sensory gating mechanism.
- This deficit in sensory gating is potentially shared with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.
- Findings suggest impaired preattentive processing in individuals with perceptual aberrations.