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Science 12 November 1971:
Vol. 174. no. 4010, pp. 723 - 725
DOI: 10.1126/science.174.4010.723
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Articles

Phenothiazine Effects on Auditory Signal Detection in Paranoid and Nonparanoid Schizophrenics

M. Rappaport 1, J. Silverman 1, H. K. Hopkins 1, and K. Hall 1

1 Agnews State Hospital, San Jose, California 95114

The differential effects of phenothiazine medication on auditory signal detection performance were compared in two types of schizophrenic subjects and in normal subjects. With increasing phenothiazine dosage a decrease in efficiency of signal detection performance occurred among nonparanoid schizophrenics and an increase in efficiency occurred among paranoid schizophrenics. These and related findings were interpreted in terms of differences in neuropsychological response and information processing characteristics in the two types of schizophrenics. The primary deficit in information processing in nonparanoid schizophrenics may be related primarily to their hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli, whereas in paranoids it may be related primarily to their impaired focusing of attention. Phenothiazines appear to decrease sensitivity to stimuli in nonparanoids but increase the ability to focus attention in paranoids. The possibility of treatment regimens which take into account the differential effects of phenothiazine medication was suggested.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Premorbid Adjustment, Paranoid Diagnosis, and Remission: Acute Schizophrenics Treated in a Community Mental Health Center.
J. R. Evans, M. J. Goldstein, and E. H. Rodnick (1973)
Arch Gen Psychiatry 28, 666-672
   Abstract »    PDF »
Phenothiazine Dosage Levels and Auditory Signal Detection in Schizophrenia.
D. S. Emmerich, F. M. Levine, and M. Rappaport (1973)
Science 179, 405-406
   PDF »
Auditory Signal Detection in Paranoid and Nonparanoid Schizophrenics.
M. Rappaport, H. K. Hopkins, and K. Hall (1972)
Arch Gen Psychiatry 27, 747-752
   Abstract »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)