Chronic schizophrenic patients often do not suppress the auditory P50 component of the eventrelated potential to the second of 2 clicks, presented 500 ms apart, suggesting a loss of normal inhibition. This study attempted to replicate the P50 suppression deficit in patients with recent-onset schizophrenia and to examine whether P50 is related to clinical symptoms or is affected by an atypical antipsychotic medication. Data from 22 recent-onset schizophrenia patients and 11 normal controls

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... ed that disruption in P50 suppression is present during the early stages of illness. In addition, impaired P50 suppression covaried with clinical ratings of anxiety, depression, and anergia; results also suggested that the P50 inhibitory deficit may be related to the degree of patients' attentional impairment. Finally, risperidone, compared with a typical antipsychotic medication, improved inhibition of P50 to the second click. These results support P50 suppression as a measure of disordered neurocognition in schizophrenia.