“…Models of the ERP changes associated with schizophrenia have been used to explore potential mechanisms for the observed ERP deficits and as a tool for the development of new therapeutic agents (Stevens and Wear, 1997, Stevens et al, 1998, Simosky et al, 2003, Connolly et al, 2004, Maxwell et al, 2004a, Maxwell et al, 2004b, Umbricht et al, 2004. Although many studies propose the P20/N40 waveform difference in mice to be analogous to the human P50 Wear, 1997, Simosky et al, 2003), recently several studies have indicated that the P20 and N40 waveforms respond independently to pharmacological and behavioral manipulations (Connolly et al, 2004, Maxwell et al, 2004a, Maxwell et al, 2004b, Umbricht et al, 2004, Metzger et al, 2006. In fact, a recent study on the effects of nicotine on ERP components demonstrated opposite effects of nicotine on the P20 and N40 amplitudes in mice with nicotine increasing P20 amplitude and decreasing N40 amplitude (Metzger et al, 2006).…”