IngentaConnect Neurological soft signs discriminating mood disorders from first ...

Authors: Boks M.P.M.; Liddle P.F.¹; Burgerhof J.G.M.²; Knegtering R.²; Bosch R.-J.²

Source: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, Volume 110, Number 1, July 2004 , pp. 29-35(7)

Abstract:

Boks MPM, Liddle PF, Burgerhof JGM, Knegtering R, van den Bosch R-J. Neurological soft signs discriminating mood disorders from first episode schizophrenia.

Acta Psychiatr Scand 2004: 110: 29–35. © Blackwell Munksgaard 2004. Objective:

To investigate the specificity of neurological soft signs (NSS) for first episode schizophrenia compared with mood disorders. Method:

We assessed NSS in a sample of 60 healthy controls, 191 first episode psychosis patients and 81 mood disorder patients. We used a principle component analysis to identify dimensions of NSS. We subsequently investigated the specificity of these dimensions for schizophrenia and their relationships with medication and symptom scores. Results:

We identified five dimensions; coordination disorders, movement disorders, increased reflexes, dyskinesia and catatonia. These dimensions were related to neural circuits associated with schizophrenia and mood disorders and included the fronto-striatal-thalamic and the fronto-cerebellar pathway. The movement disorder dimension, which was suggestive for the involvement of the fronto-striatal-thalamic pathway, was specific for first episode schizophrenia independent from medication. Conclusion:

NSS are the result of circuitry dysfunctions rather than overall dysfunction and a particular set of NSS shows specificity for schizophrenia.

Keywords: schizophrenia; mood disorders; neurologic signs; antipsychotic agents; psychomotor performance; movement disorders; cerebellum; eye movement

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2004.00298.x

Affiliations: 1: University of Nottingham, Division of Psychiatry, Nottingham, UK 2: University of Groningen, Department of Psychiatry, The Netherlands

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