Journal article
Morphometry in schizophrenia revisited: height and its relationship to pre-morbid function
Psychological medicine, Vol.28(3), pp.655-663
05/1998
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291797006417
PMID: 9626721
Abstract
Background. Morphometry, the measurement of forms, is an ancient practice. In particular, schizophrenic somatology was popular early in this century, but has been essentially absent from the literature for over 30 years. More recently, evidence has grown to support the notion that aberrant neurodevelopment may play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Is the body, like the brain, affected by abnormal development in these patients?
Methods. To evaluate global deficit in development and its relationship to pre-morbid function, height was compared in a large group (N=226) of male schizophrenics and a group of healthy male controls (N=142) equivalent in parental socio-economic status. Patients in the lower quartile of height were compared to those in the upper quartile of height.
Results. The patient group had a mean height of 177·1 cm, which was significantly shorter than the mean height of the control group of 179·4 (P<0·003). Those in the lower quartile had significantly poorer pre-morbid function as measured by: (1) psychosocial adjustment using the pre-morbid adjustment scales for childhood and adolescence/young adulthood, and (2) cognitive function using measures of school performance such as grades and need for special education. In addition, these measures of pre-morbid function correlated significantly with height when analysed using the entire sample.
Conclusions. These findings provide further support to the idea that abnormal development may play a key role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Furthermore, this is manifested as a global deficit in growth and function resulting in smaller stature, poorer social skills, and deficits in cognitive abilities.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Morphometry in schizophrenia revisited: height and its relationship to pre-morbid function
- Creators
- P Nopoulos - From the Mental Health Clinical Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa, USAM Flaum - From the Mental Health Clinical Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa, USAS Arndt - From the Mental Health Clinical Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa, USAN Andreasen - From the Mental Health Clinical Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Psychological medicine, Vol.28(3), pp.655-663
- DOI
- 10.1017/S0033291797006417
- PMID
- 9626721
- NLM abbreviation
- Psychol Med
- ISSN
- 0033-2917
- eISSN
- 1469-8978
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Number of pages
- 9
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/1998
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Psychiatry; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biostatistics; Nursing; Injury Prevention Research Center
- Record Identifier
- 9984003464702771
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