Sensitivity to chlorpromazine effects on brain function of schizophrenics and normals. A preliminary report.

For the purpose of quantitative demonstration of the sensitivity to chlorpromazine (CPZ) effects on brain functions of schizophrenics and normal subjects, polygraphic recordings of electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrodermal response (EDR) were performed before and 3 h after oral administration of 25 mg of CPZ: percent time waking EEG (per cent W-EEG) and number per minute of EDR were measured during the resting period and the period of calculation. In 10 normal adult subject, both per cent W-EEG and number of EDR showed remarkable decrease after CPZ administration. In 22 schizophrenics, however, per cent W-EEG showed no significant decrease after CPZ administration. Number of EDR in schizophrenics during the period of calculation did not show any significant decrease. The neural mechanism underlying the lower sensitivity to CPZ effects in schizophrenics was discussed.