'Simple schizophrenia': a controlled MRI and clinical/neuropsychological study

The present study explored the frequency of neuromorphological, neurological and neuropsychological abnormalities in 13 patients with an ICD-8/9 diagnosis of simple schizophrenia, also fulfilling DSM-IV criteria for 'simple deteriorative disorder', and in 13 matched patients with an ICD-8/9 diagnosis of a subtype of schizophrenia other than simple schizophrenia, fulfilling DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia. The frequency of neuromorphological abnormalities in the two patient groups was also compared with that observed in 13 neurological control subjects. Both patients with simple schizophrenia and those with other schizophrenia subtypes showed a higher frequency of brain developmental abnormalities and greater ventricular and subarachnoid space volumes than controls. There was no significant difference between the two groups of patients with respect to neuromorphological variables. Two patients with simple schizophrenia (vs. none of those with other schizophrenia subtypes) had gross brain abnormalities; they were the most deteriorated subjects in the whole sample. Patients with simple schizophrenia, as compared to those with other schizophrenia subtypes, presented a higher frequency of soft neurological signs and a greater impairment of social relationships.