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The Clinical Correlates of Neurological Soft Signs in Chronic Schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

D. J. King ,
A. Wilson ,
S. J. Cooper  and
J. L. Waddington
D. J. King*
Affiliation:
Department of Therapeutics and Pharmacology, The Queen's University of Belfast, and Holywell Hospital, Antrim
A. Wilson
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, The Queen's University of Belfast
S. J. Cooper
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, The Queen's University of Belfast
J. L. Waddington
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin
*
∗Department of Therapeutics and Pharmacology, The Whitla Medical Building, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
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Abstract

Among 16 chronic schizophrenic in-patients, all had at least one neurological soft sign (NSS), and 6 (40%) had definite neurodysfunction. NSS and TD scores were highly intercorrelated, and NSS were significantly correlated with neuroleptic drug exposure. NSS correlated positively with both positive and negative symptoms and cognitive impairment but not with cerebral ventricular size on CT. Patients with neurodysfunction had more positive and negative psychopathology, cognitive impairment and TD than those without. Cerebral ventricular sizes and family histories of schizophrenia were similar in both NSS groups. The presence of NSS may be a simple but important way of identifying a subgroup of schizophrenics with neurodevelopmental predisposing abnormalities, and vulnerability to TD.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 158 , Issue 6 , June 1991 , pp. 770 - 775
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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