Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Response to Haloperidol and Remoxipride is Associated with Increased Alpha EEG Activity

Abstract

Analysable EEGs were recorded from 13 schizophrenic patients (three taking high-dose remoxipride; five haloperidol; five low-dose remoxipride). EEG data did not differ between high-dose remoxipride and haloperidol patients, so they were combined into a single adequate dosage group. There were four clinical responders (two high-dose remoxipride; two haloperidol) and four non-responders (one high-dose remoxipride; three haloperidol) on adequate dosage. All low-dose remoxipride patients were non-responders. Of those on adequate dosage, responders had the same pretreatment EEG alpha activity as non-responders, but their posttreatment eyes-closed alpha at 8·5 Hz in the right posterior temporal area was higher (p < 0·05). The same was true when they were compared with non-responders on inadequate dosage. Alpha activity of all responders pretreatment did not differ from all non-responders, but posttreatment it was higher (p < 0·05) at the left frontal, left middle temporal and right posterior temporal sites. In contrast, after treatment the inadequate dose non-responders had lower voltage (p < 0·05) in almost all alpha frequencies in the left frontal, right posterior temporal and occipital areas. These results replicate previous studies of schizophrenia which show that increased alpha activity is the most reliable indicator of clinical response to haloperidol, and suggest that the same is true of remoxipride. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.