Sinistrality in subtypes of schizophrenia.
Sinistrality, characterized by an excess of non-right-handedness, has been reported in schizophrenic patients, but the findings are controversial.


OBJECTIVE
As sinistrality could be linked to a failure of hemisphere specialization in schizophrenia that would translate into language disorders, sinistrality was found out in disorganized and positive schizophrenic patients characterized by language disorders.


METHODS
Seventy-three schizophrenic patients (DSM IV) and 81 controls were evaluated with the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI). Patients were evaluated and classified into five subtypes (deficit, positive, disorganized, mixed and residual) with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Schedule for the Deficit Syndrome.


RESULTS
Disorganized patients had a significantly more severe sinistrality in comparison to the deficit, residual and mixed subtypes and controls. A negative correlation was found between the disorganization and the EHI scores (r = - 0.34; P < 0.01). A significantly more severe sinistrality was also observed in the positive subtype in comparison to controls, but there was no correlation between hallucinatory and EHI scores (r = 0.06).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings provided further evidence that the defects in the normal process of lateralization observed in schizophrenia affects primarily disorganized patients.
Dollfus
Sonia
S
Groupe d'imagerie neurofonctionnelle (GIN), Unité mixte de recherche 6095, CNRS/CEA/Université de Caen, Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire Caen, 14000, Caen, France. dollfus-s@chu-caen.fr
Buijsrogge
Jacqueline A
JA
Benali
Karim
K
Delamillieure
Pascal
P
Brazo
Perrine
P
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires