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The "incredible shrinking" P50 event-related potential
1Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0804, USA.
Biological Psychiatry
|June 17, 1998
Summary
Sensory gating research in schizophrenia using the P50 auditory evoked response shows decreasing P50 amplitude over time. Methodological changes, not patient condition, likely explain this trend, emphasizing the need for careful score selection in neuropsychiatric studies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Auditory Evoked Responses
Background:
- The P50 component of auditory evoked responses is a key measure for sensory gating research in schizophrenia.
- Over 15 years of research have utilized P50 gating, leading to methodological refinements to improve signal quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review trends in P50 amplitude in sensory gating studies of schizophrenia.
- To investigate the impact of methodological advancements on observed P50 amplitude.
- To highlight effective scoring methods for neuropsychiatric research.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive review of published P50 gating studies.
- Analysis of trends in P50 amplitude over time.
- Evaluation of the influence of specific methodological variables, such as filtering techniques.
Main Results:
- A consistent decrease in P50 amplitude has been observed across studies over the years.
- Methodological "advances," particularly in signal processing, are implicated as the primary cause for the reduced P50 amplitude.
- The use of ratio scores versus absolute difference scores in gating studies yields more robust findings.
Conclusions:
- The apparent decline in P50 amplitude is likely an artifact of evolving research methodologies rather than a change in sensory gating deficits in schizophrenia.
- Continued investigation into P50 gating remains valuable for neuropsychiatric research.
- Ratio scoring methods are recommended for enhanced interpretation of P50 gating data in clinical populations.