Event-Related Potentials and Plasma Levels of Monoamine Metabolites in Normal Subjects

Abstract

We examined the relationships between the ERP measurements and concentrations of plasma monoamine metabolites in 20 healthy volunteers. Event-related potentials were recorded within the framework of two auditory paradigms, a standard oddball task and a novelty oddball task. The plasma concentrations of homovanillic acid (HVA, a metabolite of dopamine) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG, a metabolite of noradrenaline) were analyzed. Some of the N100 measurements correlated with the MHPG concentration and the severity of anxiety. No significant correlations were found between the P300 measurements and concentrations of monoamine metabolites. The P300 latency and plasma HVA concentration were associated with the psychoticism estimate of EPQ. These findings indicate that modulation of the N100 component might be associated with the activity of the noradrenergic system, and that P300 latency and the HVA concentration might be associated with a tendency toward psychosis.