Zahn T P
NIMH, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Schizophr Bull. 1988;14(2):205-8. doi: 10.1093/schbul/14.2.205.
Research from this laboratory over the years has found a rather consistent pattern of high baseline levels of many (but not all) indices of autonomic activity, slow adaptation, and attenuated autonomic reactivity to significant stimuli and situations in schizophrenia and that this pattern may be related to prognosis. Our studies have also shown that qualitatively similar changes occur in healthy subjects after a dose of dextroamphetamine and that certain aspects of the pattern are exaggerated in schizophrenic patients with cortical atrophy. It is hypothesized that there are specific autonomic markers for the two syndromes of schizophrenia defined by positive and negative symptoms which reflect distinct biological mechanisms. Current research seeks to determine the biological and symptomatic correlates of autonomic activity, to establish the specificity of certain autonomic markers to schizophrenia versus other major diagnoses, and to study the mechanisms and improve the assessment of attentional deficits in schizophrenia.
多年来，该实验室的研究发现，在精神分裂症患者中，许多（但并非全部）自主神经活动指标呈现出相当一致的模式，即基线水平较高、适应缓慢，且对重大刺激和情境的自主神经反应减弱，并且这种模式可能与预后相关。我们的研究还表明，健康受试者服用一剂右旋苯丙胺后会出现性质相似的变化，并且在患有皮质萎缩的精神分裂症患者中，这种模式的某些方面会更加明显。据推测，存在针对由阳性和阴性症状定义的两种精神分裂症综合征的特定自主神经标志物，它们反映了不同的生物学机制。当前的研究旨在确定自主神经活动的生物学和症状相关性，确定某些自主神经标志物相对于其他主要诊断对精神分裂症的特异性，并研究精神分裂症注意力缺陷的机制并改进其评估。
