Effect of Hyperventilation on Electro-Encephalogram of Schizophrenic and Nonpsychotic Subjects

The present study constitutes an investigation of the comparative reactivity of the central nervous systems of normal and of schizophrenic subjects to metabolic stress (hyperventilation) as indicated by changes in the electroencephalogram. Although schizophrenic patients as a group exhibit more variability in the amount of alpha activity in their day to day electroencephalograms than do nonpsychotic persons,1there are no qualitative distinguishing characteristics. Abnormalities in the electroencephalograms in schizophrenic persons have been reported,2but in my experience the incidence of abnormalities is no greater than in the electroencephalograms of an unselected, nonpsychotic population. The possibility exists, however, that there are characteristic differences which are commonly submerged, but which could be brought out under special test conditions. It is common knowledge that large, slow waves appear in the normal electroencephalogram during hyperventilation. This constitutes an all or none, readily recognizable, objective criterion as to the effect of stress induced