HEMISPHERIC-ASYMMETRY IN EVOKED-POTENTIALS OF DEPRESSIVE PATIENTS

In depressive patients with different degrees of severity of the disorder hemispheric differences of the occipital and central EP peak amplitude and latency were estimated under the conditions of presentation of a neutral light stimulus, structural stimulus, and mental reproducing the structural stimulus during presentation of the neutral one. Affective responses to the stimuli were also taken into account. In non-psychotic depression hemispheric asymmetry was observed in all responses studied being correlated with the dominant affect. In anxiety most of the EP components were higher in the right hemisphere; in sad affect they were higher in the left hemisphere. In psychotic depression, irrespective of the dominant affect, EP characteristics were higher in the right hemisphere.