A limiting factor in the "normalization" of schizophrenic orienting response dysfunction

Forty schizophrenic patients, 40 non-schizophrenic patients, and 40 normal subjects were given 60 each alternating 1000- and 2000-Hz, 1-second tones at 60 dB. Half of each sample, the Press Group (PG), had to press a pedal to the high (low) target tone, ignoring the nontarget tone. The other half, the Nonpress Groups (NPGs), were given no reason to attend. Skin conductance response (SCR), finger pulse volume (FPV), and electroencephalographic (EEG) activity were recorded. NPG schizophrenic subjects were more often nonresponsive in both SCR and FPV than other samples, but less often responsive in EEG only when a 20 percent criterion of alpha blockade was used. Schizophrenic subjects showed greater consistency of OR nonresponsiveness in SCR and FPV, and nonsignificantly greater consistency in criterion alpha block, pointing to a deficit in orienting response (OR) rather than in peripheral response. When the targeted signal was given, schizophrenic subjects showed the same response as other groups in all systems. This was not due to an indiscriminate increase in reactivity, since response increase centered on the targeted signal itself in all groups. As the target signal was repeated, autonomic OR in schizophrenics declined sharply so that they again became underresponsive. Thus, OR "normalization" achieved by targeting significant signals is restricted to relatively early responsiveness. The rapid decline in autonomic OR may help explain differences in schizophrenic subjects between P300 and autonomic ORs to significant stimuli. Schizophrenic subjects were no different from controls in bilateral SCR or FPV asymmetry, but displayed less frequent criterion alpha blockade and reduced background alpha power in the left hemisphere. Each system showed a different pattern of bilateral asymmetry, reflecting complex, not well understood relations among these responses. This was further emphasized by the fact that skin conductance level (SCL) incremented over trials in PG subjects, reflecting sustained activation, while EEG background showed an increase in slower wave power, consistent with reports of increased drowsiness. The only drug effect seen was a lowering of SCL. Neuroleptics were associated with a flexible inhibitory control of SCL, permitting normal-like increment when circumstances required. Depressed patients' data suggested they might show heightened OR nonresponsiveness to innocuous stimuli which might not be subject to "normalization" by manipulation of stimulus significance; hence OR deficit might still differentiate schizophrenic from depressive patients.