Schizophrenia Research
Volume 134, Issue 1 , Pages 10-15, January 2012

Reduced prepulse inhibition as an early vulnerability marker of the psychosis prodrome in adolescence

  • Tim B. Ziermans

      Affiliations

    • Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author at: Department of Neuroscience, Retzius Väg 8, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel.: +46 8 524 86 372.
    • ,
  • Patricia F. Schothorst

      Affiliations

    • Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • Mirjam Sprong

      Affiliations

    • Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • Maurice J.C.M. Magnée

      Affiliations

    • Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • Herman van Engeland

      Affiliations

    • Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • Chantal Kemner

      Affiliations

    • Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

Received 18 January 2010; received in revised form 4 October 2011; accepted 20 October 2011. published online 16 November 2011.

Abstract 

Background

The onset of psychosis is thought to be preceded by neurodevelopmental changes in the brain. However, the timing and nature of these changes have not been established. The aim of the present study was to determine whether three “classic” neurophysiological markers of schizophrenia are also characteristic of young adolescents (12–18years) at ultra-high risk for psychosis (UHR).

Methods

63 young UHR individuals and 68 typically developing, age-, sex- and IQ-matched controls were recruited for neurophysiological assessment. Data for P50 suppression, prepulse inhibition (PPI) and smooth pursuit eye movements (SPEM) were gathered and compared.

Results

UHR individuals showed reduced PPI compared to controls, which became more pronounced when controls were directly compared to medication-naive UHR individuals (N=39). There were no group differences in P50 or SPEM measures.

Conclusions

These results suggest that PPI is a relatively early vulnerability marker, while changes in other neurophysiological measures may only be detected or affected later during the illness course. Antipsychotic and antidepressant medication may aid in elevating PPI levels and potentially have a neuroprotective effect.

Keywords: Ultra-high risk for psychosis, p50, Prepulse inhibition, Smooth pursuit

 

PII: S0920-9964(11)00544-5

doi:10.1016/j.schres.2011.10.009

Schizophrenia Research
Volume 134, Issue 1 , Pages 10-15, January 2012

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