Loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a pilot study

Author(s): Mavrogiorgou, P., Juckel, G., Hauke, W., Gallinat, J., Frodl, T., Zaudig, M., Hegerl, U.

Journal/Book: Psychiat Res. 2000; 93: Customer Relations Manager Bay 15, Shannon Industrial Estate CO, Clare, Ireland. Elsevier Sci Ireland Ltd. 209-216.

Abstract: In recent years it has been suggested that a serotonergic dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) is one of the best validated indicators of the activity of the serotonin system in humans. To explore the validity of the hypothesis of a serotonergic dysfunction in OCD, the loudness dependence of AEPs of 22 medication-free OCD patients were compared with those of 22 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects. Auditory evoked N1/P2 activity to tones of increasing intensity was studied using dipole source analysis. Contrary to the hypothesis, OCD patients and healthy controls did not differ in their LDAEPs of the tangential dipole in particular, located in the primary auditory cortex and closely related to central serotonergic activity. Furthermore, no significant correlation was found between the severity of obsessive-compulsive or depressive symptoms and the loudness dependence of AEPs. These findings do not support the hypothesis of a serotonergic dysfunction in OCD patients.

Note: Article Carrillo-de-la-Pena MT, Fac Psicol, Dept Psicol Clin & Psicobiol, Campus Univ Sur, Santiago De Compostela 15706, Galicia, SPAIN

Keyword(s): serotonergic system; electrophysiology; dipole source analysis; augmenting-reducing; SEROTONERGIC NEUROTRANSMISSION; INTENSITY DEPENDENCE; SCALE; RESPONSIVENESS; FENFLURAMINE; DEPRESSION; HYPOTHESIS; INDICATOR; BEHAVIOR; VALIDITY

Zurück | Weiter