THE ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL MANIFESTATIONS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA AS INFLUENCED BY DRUGS1
Psychosomatic Medicine – October 01, 1942
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Mescaline significantly impacted the brain activity of 14 schizophrenic patients, increasing the alpha rhythm by 25-30% during heightened anxiety. Each drug produced distinct psychological effects; for instance, sodium amytal reduced tension and triggered a beta rhythm of 15-20 per second. Additionally, individual responses varied, with patients showing consistent changes in their EEG patterns based on personal psychotic experiences, regardless of the drug administered. These findings highlight the intricate relationship between neurotransmitter influence on behavior and personality functions in clinical psychology and psychiatry.
Abstract
Mescaline, cocaine, sodium amytal and benzedrine were given to 14 schizophrenic patients, and their influence upon personality functions and the electroencephalogram (EEG) was observed. Changes in the EEG were found only when definite psychological changes took place. The effects of the drugs could be classified into two types: 1) Those specific for a given drug. Psychologically these were manifested in changes in attitude, anxiety, mood, etc. Correlated with the most extreme states of anxiety produced by mescaline was a 25 to 30 per cent increase in frequency of the 10-per-second (alpha) rhythm. With sodium amytal the decreased tension was accompanied by the appearance of a 15 to 20-persecond (beta) rhythm. 2) Those characteristic of a given patient. Psychologically these took the form of elaborations within the content of the psychosis and the patient's reaction to the setting, regardless of which drug was used. Similarly, a change in per cent time alpha of the EEG was consistent in a given patient either in the direction of increase or decrease.