[Psychomotor symptoms in schizophrenia: the importance of a forgotten syndrome].
BACKGROUND
Patients with schizophrenia display catatonia, psychomotor retardation, neurological soft signs (NSS) and neurological hard signs. There is considerable confusion about these psychomotor symptoms.


OBJECTIVE
To discuss the symptoms with the help of the existing literature.


METHODS
Relevant articles were retrieved from Medline. results These psychomotor symptoms are intrinsic features of the illness and cannot be regarded as mere side effects of treatment with antipsychotics. The symptoms seem to become progressively worse in the course of the illness and are associated with a poor prognosis. In contrast to cognitive symptoms, psychomotor symptoms are associated with positive symptoms. The various psychomotor symptoms are associated with the same brain structures and may themselves be interlinked.


CONCLUSIONS
There is therefore considerable evidence to support the existence of a cluster of psychomotor symptoms, in addition to positive, negative and cognitive symptoms.
Morrens
M
M
Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (capri), Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerpen, België. mmorrens@hotmail.com
Hulstijn
W
W
Sabbe
B G C
BG
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents