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Neurological soft signs, cognitive dysfunction and ventricular brain ration in schizophrenics
N Lal1, S C Tiwari, S Srivastava
1M.D., Professor, Department of Psychiatry, K.G. Medical College, Lucknow.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
|April 16, 2011
Summary
Schizophrenia subtypes differ in cognitive function and neurological signs. Positive schizophrenia subtypes show better cognitive performance and distinct correlations with brain structure compared to negative subtypes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Schizophrenia is linked to cognitive deficits, neurological soft signs, and brain structure changes like enlarged ventricles and widened sulci.
- The positive and negative symptom dichotomy in schizophrenia may relate to distinct clinical and neurobiological profiles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between the positive/negative symptom dichotomy in schizophrenia.
- To assess its impact on neuropsychological performance.
- To examine the presence of neurological soft signs in relation to these subtypes.
Main Methods:
- Studied 23 schizophrenia patients diagnosed using DSM-III-R criteria.
- Classified patients into positive (14) and negative (9) subtypes.
- Assessed neuropsychological performance (WMS, IQ, BGT) and neurological soft signs.
- Measured Ventricular Brain Ratio (VBR) as an indicator of brain structure.
Main Results:
- All patients exhibited at least one neurological soft sign.
- The positive subtype group scored higher on Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) and IQ tests.
- The positive subtype group scored lower on the Boston Naming Test (BGT).
- WMS and BGT scores showed a negative correlation with Ventricular Brain Ratio (VBR).
- Neurological soft signs positively correlated with VBR in the positive subtype only.
Conclusions:
- The positive and negative symptom dimensions in schizophrenia are associated with differential neuropsychological profiles.
- Brain structural changes (VBR) and neurological soft signs show distinct relationships with these symptom dimensions.
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