Electrodermal Orienting Response and Central Nervous System

Electrodermal orienting response during episodes of schizophrenic illness and remissions: a case study

“…Male schizophrenic patients born during the season of excess risk for schizophrenia (January-April) show lower electrodermal responsivity than schizophrenic patients born during the rest of the year (Ohlund et al, 1990;Ohlund et al, 1991). In addition, there appears to be an inverse relation between electrodermal activity and the cerebrospinal level of homovanillic acid (Ohlund et al, 1992). Such findings may be taken to suggest that electrodermal activity is a stable characteristic of the individual.…”

Electrodermal Activity (EDA) and Suicidal Behavior

“…These reactions subside with increased familiarity and repetitions of identical stimuli -this process is termed "habituation." Habituation experiments now represent a well-established psychophysiological approach that has proved its value, not only in schizophrenia research, but also with depressed patients, and in anxiety and personality disorders [Straube, 1979;Bernstein et al, 1982;Öhmann et al, 1989;Öhlund et al, 1992;Straub et al, 1988Straub et al, , 1992Larbig & Birbaumer, 1984;Lacey, 1950;Fahrenberg, 1967;Schandry, 1981;Heimann, 1979 a,b;Steiner et al, 1991;Wolfersdorf et al, 1995 a,b].…”

“…In the case of a new stimulus which the observer has not yet been able to assess, muscular tension and breathing frequency increase, blood vessels in the periphery constrict, the pupils widen, heart rate slows down at first and then accelerates, and skin conductivity in the electrodermal system rises. These reactions subside with increased familiarity and repetitions of identical stimuli — this process is termed “habituation.” Habituation experiments now represent a well-established psychophysiological approach that has proved its value, not only in schizophrenia research, but also with depressed patients, and in anxiety and personality disorders [Straube, 1979; Bernstein et al, 1982; Öhmann et al, 1989; Öhlund et al, 1992; Straub et al, 1988, 1992; Larbig & Birbaumer, 1984; Lacey, 1950; Fahrenberg, 1967; Schandry, 1981; Heimann, 1979a,b; Steiner et al, 1991; Wolfersdorf et al, 1995a,b].…”

“…Schizophrenic patients habituated themselves more rapidly than nonschizophrenic comparison groups, and neuroleptic agents seem to have an effect on the tonic but not on the phasic responses to stimuli. There are deviating findings as well [for discussion, see Straube, 1979; Bernstein et al, 1982; Öhlund et al, 1992; Wolfersdorf et al, 1995b]. These studies concluded that the lack of response in schizophrenics probably occurred as result of their symptoms, and seemed to be related to their emotional and cognitive disturbances and poor social adjustment, as well as being an expression of a protective mechanism against overstimulation.…”

The paradoxical mind and body : physiological and neurological responses to organizational paradoxes

“…Because the electrodermal activity is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, and thus reflects the body's automatic response to stimuli (Boucsein, 2012), the results suggest that the physiological arousal stemming from competing demands precedes conscious reasoning. In fact, according to the somatic marker hypothesis, SCR responses provide anticipatory signals to the brain that orient the organism to respond (Öhlund, Lindström, & Öhman, 1992). Therefore, the physiological arousal results suggest that individuals' responses to competing demands begin with the body, which informs the mind and behavior.…”