Cerebellar dysfunction in neuroleptic naive schizophrenia patients: clinical, cognitive, and neuroanatomic correlates of cerebellar neurologic signs

Beng-Choon Ho; Carmencita Mola; Nancy C Andreasen

doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2004.02.020

Back

Cerebellar dysfunction in neuroleptic naive schizophrenia patients: clinical, cognitive, and neuroanatomic correlates of cerebellar neurologic signs

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Cerebellar dysfunction in neuroleptic naive schizophrenia patients: clinical, cognitive, and neuroanatomic correlates of cerebellar neurologic signs

Beng-Choon Ho, Carmencita Mola and Nancy C Andreasen

Biological psychiatry (1969), Vol.55(12), pp.1146-1153

06/15/2004

DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2004.02.020

PMID: 15184033

View Online

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that, aside from motor coordination, the cerebellum also plays an important role in cognition and psychiatric disorders. Our previous studies support the hypothesis that cerebellar dysfunction may disrupt the cortico-cerebellar-thalamic-cortical circuit and, in turn, lead to cognitive dysmetria in schizophrenia. The goal of this study was to investigate cerebellar dysfunction in schizophrenia by examining the clinical, cognitive, and neuroanatomic correlates of cerebellar neurologic signs in schizophrenia patients. We compared the prevalence of cerebellar neurologic signs in 155 neuroleptic-naive schizophrenia patients against 155 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects. Differences in clinical characteristics, standardized neuropsychologic performance, and magnetic resonance imaging brain volumes between patients with and without cerebellar signs were also examined. Patients had significantly higher rates of cerebellar signs than control subjects, with coordination of gait and stance being the most common abnormalities. Patients with lifetime alcohol abuse or dependence were no more likely than those without alcoholism to have cerebellar signs. Presence of cerebellar signs in patients was associated with poorer premorbid adjustment, more severe negative symptoms, poorer cognitive performance, and smaller cerebellar tissue volumes. These findings lend further support for cerebellar dysfunction in schizophrenia.

Gait

Humans

Male

Schizophrenia - complications

Schizophrenia - pathology

Schizophrenic Psychology

Neuropsychological Tests

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Psychiatric Status Rating Scales

Cerebellar Diseases - complications

Neurologic Examination

Cerebellar Diseases - pathology

Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use

Brain - pathology

Cognition - physiology

Adult

Female

Alcoholism - complications

Cerebellar Diseases - psychology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Cerebellar dysfunction in neuroleptic naive schizophrenia patients: clinical, cognitive, and neuroanatomic correlates of cerebellar neurologic signs
Creators: Beng-Choon Ho - Mental Health Clinical Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa 52252, USA
Carmencita Mola
Nancy C Andreasen
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Biological psychiatry (1969), Vol.55(12), pp.1146-1153
Publisher: United States
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2004.02.020
PMID: 15184033
ISSN: 0006-3223
eISSN: 1873-2402
Grant note: MH31593 / NIMH NIH HHS MH40856 / NIMH NIH HHS MH43271 / NIMH NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 06/15/2004
Academic Unit: Psychiatry; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9984003931702771

Metrics

20 Record Views

107 Times Cited - Web of Science