ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the application of event-related potentials (ERP) by positive, negative, and neutral face expression images in the evaluation of mood disorders in brain traumatic patients.Methods ERP was tested by face expression images in 24 patients mainly with anxiety and depression symptoms (depression group) and 19 patients mainly with hostile and suspicion symptoms (hostile group), respectively.The findings were compared with those of the control group.Results There were no significant differences, between the depression group and the hostile group, on latencies and amplitudes of late positive potential (LPP) induced by the three types of face expression images, except the amplitude induced by negative face expression image.Compared with the control group, the latencies were extended and the amplitudes were lower in both depression and hostile groups.Within each group, the difference of latencies induced by the three images was not significant.The amplitudes induced by negative face expression image was higher than those induced by positive and neutral face expression images, with significant differences in the hostile group and the control group (P＜0.05) but not in the depression group.Conclusion Changes in latencies and amplitudes of LPP could be an objective indicator in the evaluation of mood disorders of brain traumatic patients.The LPP induced by negative face expression images could be more meaningful for patients mainly with anxiety and depression symptoms.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The N400 component of event-related potentials (ERP) has recently drawn widespread attention at home and abroad. This study was to explore the relationship between N400 changes and risperidone treatment and rehabilitation infirst-episode schizophrenia (FES).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>ERP component N400 was recorded by Guangzhou Runjie WJ-1 ERP instruments, in 58 FES before and 6 months, 15 months after risperidone treatment, and in 62 normal controls. The patients' syndromes were assessed by Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). And the stimuli are Chinese sentences with matching (congruent) or mismatching (incongruent) ending words.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>N400 latencies were prolonged, and amplitudes were decreased in Cz, Pz, Fz, C3, C4, in FES compared with in NC, before treatment. The prolonged N400 latencies and decreased amplitudes were negatively correlated with the patients' positive scale and total scale of PANSS. There are significant differences of N400 amplitudes and latencies in 6 months and 15 months follow-up after treatment. Before treatment, 6 months and 15 months after treatment, N400 latencies are 446 ± 35 ms, 440 ± 37 ms, 414 ± 31 ms (F = 9.72, P < 0.01) in incongruent situation; N400 amplitudes are 5.2 ± 4.6 μV, 5.7 ± 4.8 μV, 7.3 ± 5.0 μV (F = 2.06, P > 0.05) in congruent situation, and 8.5 ± 5.9 μV, 10.1 ± 5.0 μV, 11.9 ± 7.0 μV (F = 3.697, P < 0.05) in incongruent situation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>N400 could be used to predict the effects of treatment of schizophrenia to some degree. The linguistic and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia can be improved by antipsychotic drugs.</p>