Neurological soft signs and neuropsychological performance in patients with first episode schizophrenia.
Neurological soft signs and neuropsychological (NP) impairments are prevalent in schizophrenic patients. However, the relationship of these deficits is rarely studied, and it remains controversial in what way soft signs influence NP performance. The Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) and a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery were used to assess soft signs and cognitive functions in 61 first-episode schizophrenic patients. The NP test battery included tests such as the California Verbal Learning Test, the Continuous Performance Test, the Span of Apprehension Test, the Stroop Color-Word Test, the Trail-Making Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. The NP tests were also administered to 87 healthy controls. The first-episode schizophrenic patients were split along the median of their NES total score (SS- vs. SS+). The level of NP performance and the differences in relative performance (shape of the NP profile) on NP functions between the two groups were assessed. The two groups (SS- vs. SS+) did not differ in any demographic or clinical variable. However, they differed in the level of their NP performance (profile mean) but did not show differential deficits in NP performance (profile shape). Neurologic soft signs influence NP performance and are correlated to a generalized NP deficit rather than to any specific NP functions.
State Mental Hospital Haar/Munich, Vockestrasse 72, Haar D-85529, Germany. flmohr@aol.com
Friedrich
F
Mohr
Werner
W
Hubmann
Margot
M
Albus
Ute
U
Franz
Susanne
S
Hecht
Josef
J
Scherer
Jochen
J
Binder
Norbert
N
Sobizack
D000328:Adult; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013223:Statistics as Topic