Schizophrenia and Sensory Gating

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Hi.

Let's take a closer look. I also attached several abstracts on sensory gating deficits associated with schizophrenia symptoms.

RESPONSE:

1. How does sensory gating relate to schizophrenia? What is sensory gating?

Disturbed sensory gating (as measured by EGG) has been related to attention deficit and greater distractibility in patients with schizophrenia, and dysfunction of the alpha-7 subunit of the cholinergic nicotinic receptor has been discussed as its biological basis (http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/158/8/1319). Disturbed sensory gating in people with schizophrenia results in sensory-processing deficits, such as perceptual problems, object recognition, problems with sustained attention and making accurate decisions. In research, we need a way to measure these sensory deficits.

Sensory gating, as accessed via EEG in a paired-click paradigm (in research) serves as a neuro-physiological measure for researchers of attentional function in schizophrenia. Specifically, the standard EEG measure of sensory gating uses the P50 component at electrode Cz. (http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/reprint/160/9/1595?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=sensory+gating&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT).

For example, P50 auditory sensory gating is a recently developed physiological measure of the brain's availability to screen out distracting stimuli. It correlates with the ability to maintain sustained attention and to make accurate decisions (http://www.stormingmedia.us/96/9626/A962614.html).

See the examples below in the extra information of abstracts of research linked to sensory gating.

I HOPE THIS HELPS AND BEST OF LUCK!

EXTRA INFORMATION

EXAMPLE 1:Abstract

Schizophrenia, if not the most difficult, is one of the most difficult mysterious puzzles for psychiatrists, psychologists, and ...