title: Neurological soft signs and prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex in psychosis: A pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle reflex deficit and neurological soft signs (NSS) are two markers of vulnerability to psychosis. This study investigated the possibility of a PPI-NSS relation due to a putative common biological substrate, hypothesizing that patients with higher NSS scores also show higher PPI deficits. Moreover, we examined the possibility of an association of PPI deficits and NSS with negative symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen subjects with psychosis and fifteen healthy controls underwent PPI and NSS evaluations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients did not exhibit higher PPI deficits but only higher NSS rates (p < 0.01), as compared with healthy controls. Higher NSS rates were not associated with PPI deficits, and NSS sensory integration signs correlated positively with negative symptoms (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study supported the hypothesis that NSS are trait markers whereas PPI deficits state markers and that their putative common biological substrate is not sufficient to determinate an association between them. The study hypothesis, however, needs further investigation.
authors: a Department of Public Health and Community Medicine , Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona , Italy.
authors: Elisa
authors: E
authors: Ira
authors: a Department of Public Health and Community Medicine , Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona , Italy.
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Bonetto
authors: a Department of Public Health and Community Medicine , Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona , Italy.
authors: Martina
authors: M
authors: Zanoni
authors: a Department of Public Health and Community Medicine , Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona , Italy.
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Bottacini
authors: a Department of Public Health and Community Medicine , Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona , Italy.
authors: Rodolfo
authors: R
authors: Mazzoncini
authors: a Department of Public Health and Community Medicine , Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona , Italy.
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Martini
authors: a Department of Public Health and Community Medicine , Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona , Italy.
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Garozzo
authors: b Unit of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Verona , Verona , Italy.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Lasalvia
authors: a Department of Public Health and Community Medicine , Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona , Italy.
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Tansella
authors: a Department of Public Health and Community Medicine , Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona , Italy.
authors: Mirella
authors: M
authors: Ruggeri
authors: a Department of Public Health and Community Medicine , Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona , Italy.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Tosato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D065808:Prepulse Inhibition / Q000502:physiology*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: NSS; PPI; motor sequencing signs; schizophrenia; sensory integration signs