Flattening of affect, a constriction in the range of content- appropriate expression of feelings, is the most common clinically observed disturbance of affect. In schizophrenia, flat affect is a powerful predictor of treatment outcome. Similar behaviors are typical in progressive Parkinson's disease and may be found with right hemisphere pathology. One major purpose of the proposed work is develop a measurement system for the study of affective disturbances in psychiatric and neurologically-impaired populations and in so doing to eventually produce a well-standardized battery for clinical purpose. To do this we will examine, in well characterized patient groups, the characteristics of several parameters of affective processing, including channel (voice, face), processing mode (perception, expression), and valence (positive, negative). By system atically examining the relationships among these variables, it may be possible to reduce the number of variables and to develop a more efficient and streamlined set of measures. We have developed a computerized system to analyze the vocal acoustics of patient. We find that we can objectively measure many of the disturbances in feelings and communication which characterized the schizophrenic patient. A clinical challenge is to assess flat affect and depression in patients who show an admixture of both signs. We plan through experimental and statistical controls to study disturbed affects, emotions and moods. We will collaborate in longitudinal treatment studies with schizophrenic patients to use our assessment system to track the course and response of the negative symptom cluster.
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