N100 evoked potential latency variation and startle in schizophrenia

The contribution of evoked potential (EP) latency jitter, a measure of CNS temporal variability, on startle and EP gating defects in schizophrenic sub jects has not been characterized. The amplitude of the N100/P200 EP complex (peak to trough) derived using a time-locked averaging procedure, N100 EP latency jitter derived from single trial analysis, acoustic startle respons e and clinical symptoms were measured in 51 schizophrenic subjects. N100 la tency jitter was inversely correlated with N100/P200 EP amplitude in both c ross-sectional and longitudinal analysis. Subjects with elevated EP gating ratios (>0.5) had similar latency jitter values for initial (S1) and test ( S2) stimuli, while subjects with a low gating ratio (0-0.5) had a lower lev el of S1 latency jitter. Temporal variability thus plays a significant and complex role in previously reported sensory gating deficits in schizophreni c subjects. NeuroReport 12:767-773 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.