Computer analysis of drug effects on the electroencephalograms of normal and psychotic subjects

Integration of the electrical energy of the electroencephalogram (EEG) affords a quantitative method for studying in humans individual differences of both spontaneous and drug-induced origins. This kind of analysis has shown a difference between the EEGs of normals and those of male chronic schizophrenics. Objectives of the studies described in this progress report are to determine whether significant alterations in the EEGs of schizophrenics measured by this technique are produced by antipsychotic drugs, whether the EEG changes, if any, are in a direction toward normal, and whether any concomitant behavioural changes occur. This was undertaken by means of the electronic integrator of Drohocki. The schizophrenic patients initially had significantly smaller mean energies and variances than normal. The drug therapy produced correlated shifts toward normal values in the EEGs and improvements in the psychiatric ratings. Also, a newer method is repotted here in which the EEGs are recorded on magnetic tape which is then analyzed by automated operationalamplifier integrators. The integral of the EEG is read and recorded every 20 sec by an analog to digital converter. A digital computer is programmed to perform a number of statistical operations on the data. Preliminary results are presented.