Effect of perospirone on P300 electrophysiological activity and social cognition in schizophrenia: A three-dimensional analysis with sLORETA

Sumiyoshi, Tomiki; Higuchi, Yuko; Itoh, Toru; Matsui, Mie; Arai, Hirofumi; Suzuki, Michio; Kurachi, Masayoshi; Sumiyoshi, Chika; Kawasaki, Yasuhiro

doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2008.07.005

« Previous Next »Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
Volume 172, Issue 3 , Pages 180-183, 30 June 2009

Effect of perospirone on P300 electrophysiological activity and social cognition in schizophrenia: A three-dimensional analysis with sLORETA

Tomiki Sumiyoshi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama, Japan
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
- Corresponding author. Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan. Tel.: +81 76 434 7323; fax: +81 76 434 5030.
Yuko Higuchi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama, Japan
Toru Itoh
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama, Japan
Mie Matsui
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama, Japan
Hirofumi Arai
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
Michio Suzuki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama, Japan
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
Masayoshi Kurachi
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatric Early Intervention, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama, Japan
Chika Sumiyoshi
- Faculty of Human Development and Culture, Fukushima University, Fukushima, Japan
Yasuhiro Kawasaki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama, Japan
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, Tokyo, Japan

Received 29 November 2007; received in revised form 13 June 2008; accepted 4 July 2008.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if perospirone, a second generation antipsychotic drug and partial agonist at serotonin-5-HT_1A receptors, enhances electrophysiological activity, such as event-related potentials (ERPs), in frontal brain regions, as well as cognitive function in subjects with schizophrenia. P300 current source images were obtained by means of standardized low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) before and after treatment with perospirone for 6 months. Perospirone significantly increased P300 current source density in the left superior frontal gyrus, and improved positive symptoms and performance on the script tasks, a measure of verbal social cognition, while verbal learning memory tended to be improved. There was a significant correlation between the changes in P300 amplitude on the left frontal lead and those in social cognition. These results suggest the changes in three-dimensional distribution of cortical activity, as demonstrated by sLORETA, may mediate some of the actions of antipsychotic drugs. The distinct cognition-enhancing profile of perospirone in patients with schizophrenia may be related to its actions on 5-HT_1A receptors.

Keywords: Event-related potentials, 5-HT_1A agonism, Atypical antipsychotic drugs, Second generation, Cognitive function, Social cognition