Retention of orienting reaction habituation in multiple sclerosis
Rogozea, R.; Florea-Ciocoiu, V.
Neurologie et Psychiatrie 26(4): 223-235
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0259-6326 PMID: 3212374 Document Number: 314842
A polygraphic study on resistance to habituation of the somatic (EMG), autonomic (finger plethysmogram, galvanic skin reaction, respiration) and EEG (acoustic-evoked potential and EEG-blocking reaction) components of the orienting reaction elicited by a repetitive auditory stimulus during successive (weekly) sessions was performed in 71 patients with multiple sclerosis and in 74 matched normal subjects (control group). The study evidenced significant retention disturbances of orienting reaction habituation (i.e. of learning) , the "saving" of stimulations achieved from one session to the other to obtain the habituation criterion being lesser in patients with multiple sclerosis than in control normal subjects. The severity of this habituation retention disturbances depended on the patient's age at symptom onset, major symptom types on admission and the bout (relapse) frequency.