Source Paper
Impaired prepulse inhibition of acoustic and tactile startle response in patients with Huntington's disease.
N R Swerdlow, J Paulsen, D L Braff, N Butters, M A Geyer et al.
Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry • 1995
Prepulse Inhibition of Tactile Startle
Objective: Measurement of sensorimotor gating by quantifying inhibition of startle reflex when preceded by tactile prepulse stimuli in patients with Huntington's disease compared to age-matched controls
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Protocol Steps
Prepulse stimulus presentation
Present a weak prepulse stimulus preceding the startling stimulus
Note: The prepulse interval is critical for measuring prepulse inhibition
View evidence from paper
“the startle reflex is normally inhibited when the startling stimulus is preceded 30-500 ms earlier by a weak prepulse”
Startle stimulus presentation
Present either acoustic or tactile startling stimulus to elicit startle reflex
Note: Both acoustic and tactile modalities were tested
View evidence from paper
“Startle gating deficits are evident in patients with Huntington's disease when startle is elicited by either acoustic or tactile stimuli”
Measure startle response amplitude
Quantify the amplitude of the startle reflex response
Note: Startle amplitude was measured to assess baseline startle reactivity
View evidence from paper
“Startle amplitude and habituation and latency facilitation are largely intact in these patients”
Measure startle response latency
Quantify the latency of the startle reflex response
Note: Reflex latency was significantly slowed in Huntington's disease patients
View evidence from paper
“reflex latency is significantly slowed”
Vary prepulse interval
Test multiple prepulse intervals to characterize the modulatory effects on startle inhibition
Note: Normal subjects show modulatory effects with changing prepulse intervals
View evidence from paper
“their pattern of startle gating does not show the normal modulatory effects usually elicited by changing the prepulse interval or intensity”
Vary prepulse intensity
Test multiple prepulse intensities to characterize the modulatory effects on startle inhibition
Note: Normal subjects show modulatory effects with changing prepulse intensity
View evidence from paper
“their pattern of startle gating does not show the normal modulatory effects usually elicited by changing the prepulse interval or intensity”
Calculate prepulse inhibition
Quantify the degree of inhibition of startle reflex by the prepulse stimulus
Note: PPI is the primary outcome measure comparing patients with controls
View evidence from paper
“prepulse inhibition (PPI) was measured in patients with Huntington's disease to quantify and characterise sensorimotor gating”