[The hyperarousal hypothesis: new aspects of a neurophysiologic concept of endogenous psychoses]

The hyperarousal hypothesis has been developed as a concept of the major psychoses on the basis of neurophysiological findings on the function of the reticular formation. An enduring hyperactivity of the ascending reticular activation system is assumed to be characteristical for the major psychoses. Recently, studies on the habituation of auditory evoked potential components provided new evidence supporting the hyperarousal hypothesis. Thus, by means of the auditory evoked potential investigation an electrophysiological assessment of the hyperarousal state in patients with major psychoses has become feasible. These findings may have important implications for the research on the major psychoses and may find clinical applications.