Do cenesthesias and body image aberration characterize a subgroup in schizophrenia?
OBJECTIVE
To identify and characterize a subgroup of schizophrenia patients with marked and dominating bodily sensations (cenesthesias and body image aberration).


METHODS
We assessed cenesthesias and different aspects of body image aberration systematically along with common (general, positive and negative symptoms) and ego-psychopathology in 60 patients with acute paranoid schizophrenia. Cluster analysis was applied to identify subgroups. Psychopathology scores of the clusters were compared at admission and after 2 weeks of hospital treatment.


RESULTS
One of the three clusters comprised of 14 patients (23.3%) with marked disturbances of body experience (underestimation of lower extremities, desomatization, boundary loss and diminution). The subgroup was further characterized by significantly higher ego-psychopathology scores at admission. Some of the differences held true over a 2-week period.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings from the present study suggest that cenesthesias and body image aberration might represent an additional dimension of psychopathology that might be used for defining a nosological subtype of schizophrenia.
Röhricht
Frank
F
Academic Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, East Ham Memorial Hospital, East London and The City Mental Health Trust, London, UK. froehricht@cs.com
Priebe
Stefan
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000145:classification*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology