Abstract
Measurement of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity in schizophrenia has frequently been by means of skin conductance and heart rate. These variables have the advantages of being noninvasive and noncumbersome and allow measurement of both levels and momentary changes in ANS activity to changes in environment. Disadvantages are that they assess directly neither psychotic behavior nor its biological substrates and their central determinants are not well understood at present. A recent study has shown that unmedicated acute schizophrenics compared to controls, are characterized by high ANS arousal indices, slow adaptation and habituation and low ANS response to environmental stimuli, especially meaningful or demanding ones. These markers have also been found in unmedicated chronic schizophrenics. In addition, this pattern was found to predict poor treatment outcome vs. remission of symptoms in patients who were indistinguishable by usual clinical assessment. A similar pattern of ANS activity has been produced in normal men by dextroamphetamine. This suggests the pattern of ANS activity characteristic of schizophrenia may be a marker for poorly regulated dopaminergic neurotransmission.
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