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The UCSB Times

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Santa Barbara, California Friday, June 3, 2016 2 pages free of charge

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no history of alcohol/drug

near what is formally called

abuse. Along with them,

the prefrontal cortex. Just this

sixteen healthy male control

dark spot, it seems, causes

subjects, with no family

all behavioral differences

For decades, it has been

history of schizophrenia, were

(hallucinations, disorganized

common knowledge that

recruited from the hospital

speech, etc.) schizophrenia is

those who suffer from

staff. All recruits were

so famous for.

schizophrenia, a mental

between 20 and 60 years old.

The experiment began with

Schizophrenic
Experiment Sparks
Controversy

disorder that causes people

auditory stimulation, where

to view their reality much

an eight-inch speaker was

differently than others, also

placed above a subjects

have to deal with significant

head and he was placed in a

differences in their auditory

quiet recording room. From

and visual senses.

this speaker, a click lasting

Venturing out to find out

more about this disease,
researchers and psychiatrists
sought out fifteen male
schizophrenic patients and
asked them to participate
with the sole requirement

Above is an MRI scan, which

maps different aspects about
the brain. This particular scan
exhibits a healthy twin (left)
and a schizophrenic twin
(right).
As can be observed, the scan

just 0.4 milliseconds (thats

0.0004 seconds) would
sound. Gradually, the
intensity of the click would
increase. The results from
this experiment were similar
to those previously

being that they had

showing the schizophrenic

conducted.

On the flip side of this

patient (right) has a dark

Now that these brilliant men

experiment, fourteen of the

spot

and women have pinpointed

normal subjects and eleven

Now, with all this in mind,

another problematic aspect

of the schizophrenic subjects

you may be wondering how

about this terrifying disease,

participated in the visual

this may be relevant. Well,

the hope is that they can

trial. While a click was used

heres why: sensory gating.

work to create new types of

for the auditory experiment,

Sensory gating is a process

medication that can help

a flash of light was utilized

that occurs in our brain that

alleviate the tension

for the visual study. Following

filters out all the irrelevant

schizophrenic men and

both the auditory and visual

stimuli that we come into

women currently go through.

studies, the researchers

contact with on a daily basis.

They can collectively work to

analyzed their subjects brain

The differences in

effectively treat possibly a

waves and their reactions to

wavelength and frequency of

loved one, a colleague, or

the various stimuli (the click

the brain waves that were

even a mere acquaintance.

and the flash). In both

found between

The prospects have

instances, they found no

schizophrenics and control

groundbreaking potential!

noteworthy difference.

subjects greatly impacts

However, there were

sensory gating. By

differences in brain wave

introducing visual and

activity (wavelength,

auditory stimuli to both

frequency, etc.) that were

schizophrenic and normal

found in the auditory study

subjects, these researchers

but not in the visual study.

found that this process is

reduced in schizophrenics. As
the inability to keep up with
everyday living is obviously a

very serious issue, the

brightest of doctors and
researchers are on route to
finding a remedy.