Electrodermal responding and chlorpromazine treatment in schizophrenia

Skin conductance level (SCL) and skin conductance responses (SCR) to a random series of tones were measured in 25 drug-free schizophrenic patients, 15 males and 10 female, before and after standard chlorpromazine treatment. The DSM-III diagnostic criteria were used for selecting subjects. Psychopathology was measured with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. After treatment, patients showed an improved psychopathology and decreased SCL. There was a transition of patients to lower response categories: the number of responders decreased twice and the number of non-responders increased three times. Responders exhibited significantly higher SCL than non-responders and fast habituators were between the two groups.