Sensory overload and schizophrenia: sensory gating as a measure of dysfunction of stimuli filtration
Basińska, A.
Psychiatria Polska 28(2): 171-182
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0033-2674 PMID: 7911584 Document Number: 431835
Concept of defective filtering mechanisms, resulting in sensory overload, is one of many hypotheses of pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Clinical observation finds confirmation in laboratory tests, measuring the blocking of response to a stimulus received immediately after a preceding stimulus. In schizophrenia, sensorimotor gating (suppression of efferent component of startle reflex) and gating of evoked response P50 AEP are shown to be deficient. The independence of this defect from the clinical phase of the illness and the examination of the relatives, imply a genetically conditioned predisposition. Searching for responsible structures gave rise to the hippocampal model of schizophrenia. Investigations of neurotransmitter systems disturbances have not given any explicit results yet. Results imply a necessity for the verification and extension of former studies.