Visual evoked response modified recovery cycle and personality dimensions in healthy and schizophrenic subjects

The aim of this study was to compare the results of the VER recovery cycle as modified by Shagass, in correlation with Eysenck's PEN personality questionnaire scores, in 41 schizophrenic inpatients and 41 healthy subjects. All the subjects were male. In the patient group, a lack of R2 response amplitude facilitation was found. In normals with a high score on the neuroticism scale, less facilitation was found in comparison with the group with low scores in the scale. In the schizophrenic group, the R2 latency did not change with increased S1 stimulus intensity, but in the group of normals the R2 latency increased. The schizophrenic group got higher scores on the scales of psychoticism and neuroticism and lower scores on the extroversion scale. Differences between groups on the psychoticism scale were not significant. A small but significant negative correlation was found between the psychoticism score and facilitation of R2 amplitude in the group of normals. This correlation was greater in the group with low neuroticism.