Assessing Sympatho-Vagal Balance in Schizophrenia through Tone-Entropy Analysis

Abstract

Although schizophrenia patients more likely commit suicide, however, more than two thirds of patients with schizophrenia, compared with approximately one-half in the general population, die of coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of this study, therefore, is to determine whether Tone-Entropy (T-E) analysis method can determine how and to what extend the symaptho-vagal balance is altered with the severity of psychiatric disorders as determined by Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale. Tone represents sympathovagal balance and entropy, the autonomic regularity activity. This study included 32 high-GAF, 32 low-GAF and 118 healthy control subjects. Evaluated tones and are significantly (..