Normalization of Auditory Physiology by Cigarette Smoking in Schizophrenic Patients

摘要: Objective: Because many schizophrenic patients are heavy smokers, it has been suggested that nicotine normalizes some neuronal deficit involved in their illness. Schizophrenic subjects have various difficulties with maintenance of attention and selective processing sensory information. One defect sensorygating schizophrenia characterized by recording auditory evoked potentials. Most normal a decrease the response to second oftwo closely paired stimuli, whereas most do not. The aim this study was determine whether smoking gating schizophrenia. Method: Changes cigarettes were studied 1 0 smokers without psychiatric illness 10 smokers. Both groups asked abstain from :00 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. next morning, when responses pairs clicks recorded. ability gate information is reflected P50 wave amplitude two stimuli. After baseline recordings, smoked as much they wished, then postsmoking recordings performed. Results: had marked but briefimprovement immediately after smoking, for normalsmokers slightly impaired. Conclusions: This suggests cigarette can transiently normalize impairment patients. (AmJ Psychiatry 1993; 150:1856-1861)