Autonomic nervous system activity in acute schizophrenia: II. relationships to short-term prognosis and clinical state
T. P. Zahn, W. T. Carpenter Jr and T. H. McGlashan
Autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity in acute schizophrenic patients was
assessed to examine predictive relationships to clinical course.
Unmedicated patients were rated on global psychopathology and tested on
skin conductance, heart rate, and skin temperature during rest, a series of
tones, and reaction time and mental arithmetic tasks three weeks after
admission and again about three months later. On the admission tests, a
pattern of ANS activity found in schizophrenics in general (high resting
"arousal," slow habituation, and attenuated ANS reactivity, particularly to
demanding stimuli and situations) was found in patients who were to remain
clinically ill but not in patients whose recovery was more complete,
especially in males. Thus, ANS activity is predictive of short-term outcome
in acute schizophrenia. Minimal ANS changes accompanied clinical
improvement, which suggests a "'trait" interpretation, but "state" effects
cannot be completely ruled out.
