Skin Impedance Findings in Mental Disease

Abstract

It has been shown1 that the electrical impedance per unit area of the skin may deviate from normal values not only in thyroid and other endocrine conditions but also in disturbances involving the autonomic and central nervous systems. Gross changes in skin capacity have been reported in certain types of mental disease.2 It appeared to be of interest, therefore, to study a group of mental patients with a view to determining whether or not changes in the impedance properties of the skin could be found.Impedance determinations were made by the 3-electrode method at 11,160 c.p.s., using a concentric and a disc electrode applied over the region of the biceps and triceps as described elsewhere.1, 3The patients were not selected in any way and included all of the females (54) in the adult wards at the N. Y. State Psychiatric Institute. This group was composed predominantly of schizophrenics and psychoneurotics. The average age was 29 years.A histogram of the results obtained is shown in Fig. 1 (dotted lines) and...