title: Sinistrality in subtypes of schizophrenia.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dollfus
authors.forename: Jacqueline A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Buijsrogge
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Benali
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delamillieure
authors.forename: Perrine
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brazo
mesh_terms: 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