Abnormal autonomic nervous system (ANS) function may result in poor outcomes in patients with schizophrenia. Altered cardio-respiratory coupling, which indicates suppression of vagal activity, was identified as an important trait in patients with schizophrenia and their unaffected relatives. Heart rate variability (HRV) in standardized bedside reflex tests has been studied, mostly in medicated patients with schizophrenia whose ANS function could be influenced by medication. Our study aimed to explore the autonomic function differences between drug-naïve patients with schizophrenia and healthy individuals during challenge tests combining respiration and HRV analysis. Forty-two drug-naïve patients with schizophrenia were matched with 42 healthy controls in terms of age and gender. Their beat-to-beat blood pressure and heart rate were monitored in the supine position as a survey of ANS function, and the mean heart rate range (MHRR) was measured under deep-breathing challenge. A decreased MHRR, a sensitive sign indicating an impaired parasympathetic response, during the deep-breathing challenge among the drug-naïve patients with schizophrenia was found. Drug-naïve patients with schizophrenia may have a parasympathetic dysfunction in the early stages of schizophrenia before medication is introduced, which could be considered a neurobiological marker in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

自主神经系统 (ANS) 功能异常可能导致精神分裂症患者的预后不佳。改变的心肺耦合表明迷走神经活动受到抑制，被确定为精神分裂症患者及其未受影响亲属的重要特征。已经研究了标准化床边反射测试中的心率变异性 (HRV)，主要针对 ANS 功能可能受药物影响的精神分裂症患者。我们的研究旨在探讨在结合呼吸和 HRV 分析的挑战测试中，未接受药物治疗的精神分裂症患者与健康个体之间的自主神经功能差异。42 名未接受药物治疗的精神分裂症患者与 42 名健康对照在年龄和性别方面相匹配。在仰卧位监测他们的逐搏血压和心率，作为 ANS 功能的调查，并在深呼吸挑战下测量平均心率范围 (MHRR)。在未接受药物治疗的精神分裂症患者深呼吸期间发现 MHRR 降低，这是一种敏感信号，表明副交感神经反应受损。在精神分裂症的早期阶段，未接受药物治疗的精神分裂症患者可能在药物治疗前出现副交感神经功能障碍，这可以被视为精神分裂症病理生理学中的神经生物学标志物。在未接受药物治疗的精神分裂症患者进行深呼吸挑战期间发现。在精神分裂症的早期阶段，未接受药物治疗的精神分裂症患者可能在药物治疗前出现副交感神经功能障碍，这可以被视为精神分裂症病理生理学中的神经生物学标志物。在未接受药物治疗的精神分裂症患者进行深呼吸挑战期间发现。在精神分裂症的早期阶段，未接受药物治疗的精神分裂症患者可能在药物治疗前出现副交感神经功能障碍，这可以被视为精神分裂症病理生理学中的神经生物学标志物。