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Characterizing the sensorimotor domain in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
Stefan Fritze1, Fabio Sambataro2,3, Katharina M Kubera4
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
|November 28, 2021
Summary
Nearly all schizophrenia spectrum disorder patients have sensorimotor abnormalities, often co-occurring in distinct subgroups. These subgroups show varying neurocognitive performance, linking sensorimotor and cognitive functions.
Area of Science:
- Sensorimotor Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Sensorimotor abnormalities are increasingly recognized as integral to schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD).
- Previous research has yielded inconsistent findings regarding the prevalence and interrelationships of various sensorimotor deficits in SSD.
- Understanding these abnormalities is crucial for both scientific insight and clinical management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence, overlap, and heterogeneity of five distinct sensorimotor abnormality categories in SSD patients.
- To explore the psychopathological and cognitive correlates of these sensorimotor abnormalities.
- To identify potential subgroups within the sensorimotor domain in SSD.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 131 SSD patients was assessed using established clinical rating scales for Neurological soft signs (NSS), parkinsonism, catatonia, akathisia, and tardive dyskinesia.
- Statistical methods were employed to analyze prevalence, co-occurrence, and subgroup formation.
- Neurocognitive performance was compared across identified sensorimotor subgroups.
Main Results:
- A high prevalence of sensorimotor abnormalities was observed, with 97.7% of patients exhibiting at least one defined abnormality.
- Sensorimotor abnormalities tended to co-vary, forming three distinct subgroups: moderate, hyperkinetic, and hypokinetic.
- Significant differences in neurocognitive performance were found between the hyperkinetic/hypokinetic groups and the moderate group.
Conclusions:
- Sensorimotor abnormalities are nearly universal in SSD and exhibit distinct patterns of clinical overlap.
- The identified sensorimotor subgroups (moderate, hyperkinetic, hypokinetic) are associated with differential neurocognitive profiles.
- These findings underscore the intricate relationship between sensorimotor and cognitive domains in SSD, offering avenues for future neurobiological research.
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