Neurologic features and psychopathology in schizophrenic disorders

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Neurologic disturbances are frequently observed in schizophrenia.
• Limited research has explored the specificity of these abnormalities to schizophrenia or their link to specific psychopathological features.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess neurologic and psychopathological features in individuals with schizophrenia, affective disorders, and healthy controls.
• To determine the specificity of neurologic abnormalities to schizophrenic disorders and their relationship to psychopathology.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated neurologic (motor and sensory) and psychopathological features in 53 schizophrenic, 21 affective, and 20 normal subjects.
• Analyzed correlations between neurologic abnormalities, cognitive performance, and laterality preferences.

Main Results:

• Neurologic disturbances were most frequent (92%) and severe in schizophrenic subjects, compared to affective (52%) and normal (5%) subjects.
• Neurologic abnormalities strongly correlated with disturbed thinking and cognitive performance in schizophrenic patients.
• Anomalous laterality preferences in schizophrenics were associated with increased neurologic disturbance, formal thought disorder, and cognitive impairment.

Conclusions:

• Neurologic disturbances are highly prevalent and severe in schizophrenia, linked to cognitive deficits.
• Laterality preferences may play a role in the expression of neurologic and cognitive impairments in schizophrenia.