title: Minor physical anomalies are more common in schizophrenia patients with the history of homicide.
abstract: Minor physical anomalies may be external markers of abnormal brain development, so the more common appearance of these signs in homicidal schizophrenia might suggest the possibility of a more seriously aberrant neurodevelopment in this subgroup. The aim of the present study was to investigate the rate and topological profile of minor physical anomalies in patients with schizophrenia with the history of committed or attempted homicide comparing them to patients with schizophrenia without homicide in their history and to normal control subjects. Using a list of 57 minor physical anomalies, 44 patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia were examined with the history of committed or attempted homicide, as a comparison 22 patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia without the history of any kind of homicide and violence and 21 normal control subjects were examined. Minor physical anomalies are more common in homicidal schizophrenia patients compared to non-homicidal schizophrenia patients and normal controls, which could support a stronger neurodevelopmental component of etiology in this subgroup of schizophrenia. The higher rate of minor physical anomalies found predominantly in the head and mouth regions in homicidal schizophrenia patients might suggest the possibility of a more seriously aberrant brain development in the case of homicidal schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Pécs, Faculty of Medicine, Rét u.2, H-7623 Pécs, Hungary. Electronic address: tenyi.tamas@pte.hu.
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tényi
authors.affiliation: Forensic Psychiatric Mental Institution, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Halmai
authors.affiliation: Forensic Psychiatric Mental Institution, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antal
authors.affiliation: Forensic Psychiatric Mental Institution, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Bálint
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Benke
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nursing and Patients Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Hungary.
authors.forename: Sára
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jeges
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Pécs, Faculty of Medicine, Rét u.2, H-7623 Pécs, Hungary.
authors.forename: Dalma
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tényi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physical Education and Sport Science, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Hungary.
authors.forename: Ákos Levente
authors.initials: ÁL
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Pécs, Faculty of Medicine, Pécs, Hungary.
authors.forename: Györgyi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Csábi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D019465:Craniofacial Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009056:Mouth Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Aggression; Neurodevelopment; Psychotic disorders; Somatic markers; Violence