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No association between prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex and neuropsychological deficit in chronic schizophrenia

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Abstract

Sensorimotor gating deficits are relevant in schizophrenia and can be measured using prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle reflex. It is conceivable that such deficits may hinder the cognitive functions in schizophrenia patients. In this study, using PPI and a neuropsychological battery, we studied this possibility in a group of 23 acute, neuroleptic-free schizophrenia patients and 16 controls. A non-significant decrease in PPI was found in the patients as compared to the controls, as well as significant differences in the performance of Trail A and B in Wisconsin Card Sorting and Digit/Symbol Tests. No statistically significant correlations between PPI and neuropsychological performance were found after the correction for multiple comparisons in any group. Our results suggest that PPI deficits in schizophrenia patients may not contribute to the cognitive deficits typical of that illness, at least in patients with a non-significant PPI decrease.

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Acknowledgments

The present work was supported by by the grants FIS 04-0025 to VM, and #BFU2007-65210 and JCyL #GR221 to DEL.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Salamanca, Spain

    Vicente Molina, Benjamín Cortés, Javier Pérez, Carmen Martín & Rocío Villa

  2. Institute for Neuroscience of Castilla y León, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Vicente Molina, Dolores E. López & Consuelo Sancho

  3. Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Dolores E. López

  4. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Consuelo Sancho

  5. Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Clínico de Salamanca, Paseo de San Vicente, 58-182, 37007, Salamanca, Spain

    Vicente Molina

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  1. Vicente Molina
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  2. Benjamín Cortés
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Correspondence to Vicente Molina.

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Molina, V., Cortés, B., Pérez, J. et al. No association between prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex and neuropsychological deficit in chronic schizophrenia. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 260, 609–615 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-010-0102-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-010-0102-5

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