Heritability and familiality of neurological soft signs: evidence from healthy twins, patients with schizophrenia and non-psychotic first-degree relatives.
BACKGROUND
Neurological soft signs (NSS) have long been considered potential endophenotypes for schizophrenia. However, few studies have investigated the heritability and familiality of NSS. The present study examined the heritability and familiality of NSS in healthy twins and patient-relative pairs.


METHODS
The abridged version of the Cambridge Neurological Inventory was administered to 267 pairs of monozygotic twins, 124 pairs of dizygotic twins, and 75 pairs of patients with schizophrenia and their non-psychotic first-degree relatives.


RESULTS
NSS were found to have moderate but significant heritability in the healthy twin sample. Moreover, patients with schizophrenia correlated closely with their first-degree relatives on NSS.


CONCLUSIONS
Taken together, the findings provide evidence on the heritability and familiality of NSS in the Han Chinese population.
Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory,Key Laboratory of Mental Health,Institute of Psychology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,People's Republic of China.
T
T
Xu
Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory,Key Laboratory of Mental Health,Institute of Psychology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,People's Republic of China.
Y
Y
Wang
Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory,Key Laboratory of Mental Health,Institute of Psychology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,People's Republic of China.
Z
Z
Li
Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory,Key Laboratory of Mental Health,Institute of Psychology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,People's Republic of China.
J
J
Huang
Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory,Key Laboratory of Mental Health,Institute of Psychology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,People's Republic of China.
S S Y
SS
Lui
Beijing Huilongguan Hospital,Beijing,People's Republic of China.
S-P
SP
Tan
Peking University Sixth Hospital,Beijing,People's Republic of China.
X
X
Yu
Castle Peak Hospital,Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,People's Republic of China.
E F C
EF
Cheung
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology,Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center,Sun Yat-sen University,Guangzhou,People's Republic of China.
M-G
MG
He
Statistical Genetics Laboratory,Key Laboratory of Mental Health,Institute of Psychology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,People's Republic of China.
J
J
Ott
Department of Psychiatry,Perelman School of Medicine,University of Pennsylvania,and the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center,Philadelphia,PA,USA.
R E
RE
Gur
Department of Psychiatry,Perelman School of Medicine,University of Pennsylvania,and the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center,Philadelphia,PA,USA.
R C
RC
Gur
Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory,Key Laboratory of Mental Health,Institute of Psychology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,People's Republic of China.
R C K
RC
Chan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D058068:Endophenotypes; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
Endophenotypes; familiality; healthy twins; heritability; neurological soft signs