Olga Osokina

Kyiv Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine

Evoked Potentials in Patients with First Psychotic Episode

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Biography

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Abstract

The purpose of investigation was to assess evoked potentials (EPs) in patients with first psychotic episode (FPE) depending on clinical status and pharmacotherapy.

Sensomotoric response (SMR), amplitudes and latencies of visual and auditory EPs were carried out as well as the correlation between EPs and PANSS scores. The study included 38 patients with FPE and 22 healthy participants (HP) aged from 19 to 35 years. Patients were divided into two groups: 21(55,3%) patients (group A) received atypical antipsychotics, whereas 17 (44,7%) patients (group B) received typical ones. Evaluation was performed twice: during acute phase and 6 months later.

A decrease in visual and auditory P2, N2, P3, N4 amplitudes and lengthening of latencies was observed in patients with acute phase of FPE compared with HP. SMR time showed it increase in FPE compared with the HP (p<0,001).

Comparison with HP showed no difference in amplitudes and latencies of all auditory EPs, visual P3, N4 amplitudes and N2, P3 latencies in group A, while there were differences in most of EPs in group B six months after the FPE. Low PANSS scores was correlated with increased visual P3 (r=-0,8) amplitudes and shortened visual P3 (r=0,3) latency in both groups of patients.

Thus, a cognitive deficit in the FPE was reflected in lengthening of SMR and changes in EPs. Atypical antipsychotics were more effective than typical ones regarding cognitive processing in FPE. Amplitude and latency of visual P3 was sensitive to antipsychotic treatment and could be considered a marker of patient’s clinical state.