Short latency afferent inhibition in schizophrenia patients

The objective of this study was to test our preliminary in vivo evaluations of central cholinergic abnormalities in schizophrenia patients. Short latency afferent inhibition (SAI) is based on coupling peripheral nerve stimulation with motor cortex Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), which has been shown to be a putative marker of central cholinergic activity. Methods: We evaluated SAI in 5 patients with schizophrenia and 5 healthy subjects. Results: The level of SAI was significantly lower in the patients with schizophrenia than in the controls (p=0.008). Conclusion: Our findings suggest involvement of central cholinergic neurotransmission in schizophrenia, which indicates a possible approach for treatment of cognitive dysfunction related to the disease.