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Selective attention and auditory event-related potentials in somatization disorder
L James1, E Gordon, C Kraiuhin
1Department of Psychiatry, Westmead Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.
Comprehensive Psychiatry
|January 1, 1989
Summary
This study found that individuals with somatization disorder exhibit impaired attentional processing, indicated by reduced mismatch negativity (MMN). This suggests a neurophysiological basis for attention deficits in somatization disorder.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Hysteria has been historically linked to attention disorders.
- Mismatch negativity (MMN) is a neurophysiological measure sensitive to attentional processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate Janet's hypothesis that attention disorders are fundamental to hysteria.
- To examine attentional processing in patients with somatization disorder (SMD) using MMN.
Main Methods:
- Compared MMN in ten SMD patients and ten healthy controls.
- MMN was measured by subtracting cortical potentials evoked by background stimuli from those evoked by target stimuli.
Main Results:
- Somatization disorder patients showed smaller MMN compared to controls.
- This reduction was particularly notable at the central recording site.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest an impairment in attentional processing in somatization disorder.
- This impairment may indicate a subtle neurophysiological disturbance underlying SMD.