Neurological soft signs in neuroleptic-naive and neuroleptic-treated schizophrenic patients and in normal comparison subjects

Sanjay Gupta; Nancy C Andreasen; Stephan Arndt; Michael  Flaum; Susan K Schultz; William C Hubbard; Michael Smith

doi:10.1176/ajp.152.2.191

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Neurological soft signs in neuroleptic-naive and neuroleptic-treated schizophrenic patients and in normal comparison subjects

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Neurological soft signs in neuroleptic-naive and neuroleptic-treated schizophrenic patients and in normal comparison subjects

Sanjay Gupta, Nancy C Andreasen, Stephan Arndt, Michael Flaum, Susan K Schultz, William C Hubbard and Michael Smith

The American journal of psychiatry, Vol.152(2), pp.191-196

02/1995

DOI: 10.1176/ajp.152.2.191

PMID: 7840351

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Abstract

The goal of this study was to assess neurological soft signs and developmental reflexes in schizophrenic patients who had never received neuroleptic medication and those who were receiving neuroleptic medication. Neurological soft signs and developmental reflexes were examined in 26 schizophrenic patients who had never received a neuroleptic, 126 schizophrenic patients who were currently receiving neuroleptics, and 117 normal subjects. Soft signs were present in 23% of the neuroleptic-naive and 46% of the medicated schizophrenic patients. Developmental reflexes were present in 19% of the neuroleptic-naive and 12% of the medicated patients. Both soft signs and developmental reflexes were absent in the normal subjects. There were significant differences between patients and normal subjects in neurological soft signs and developmental reflexes. The possibly confounding variables of age, age at onset, duration of illness, number of hospitalizations, Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) scores, and Simpson-Angus Scale extrapyramidal symptom scores were assessed by using logistic regression in the patients who were receiving neuroleptics. AIMS scores and Simpson-Angus Scale scores correlated with soft signs in these patients. The presence of neurological soft signs in schizophrenic patients who had never received neuroleptics indicates that these signs are present independent of medication effects, but it is possible that neuroleptics contribute to the prevalence of these abnormalities, as demonstrated by the patients who were receiving neuroleptics.

Comorbidity

Reflex - physiology

Antipsychotic Agents - adverse effects

Humans

Male

Educational Status

Hospitalization

Nervous System Diseases - diagnosis

Schizophrenia - epidemiology

Social Class

Nervous System Diseases - epidemiology

Neurologic Examination

Schizophrenia - diagnosis

Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use

Age of Onset

Adult

Female

Nervous System Diseases - chemically induced

Schizophrenia - drug therapy

Details

Title: Subtitle: Neurological soft signs in neuroleptic-naive and neuroleptic-treated schizophrenic patients and in normal comparison subjects
Creators: Sanjay Gupta - Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City
Nancy C Andreasen
Stephan Arndt
Michael Flaum
Susan K Schultz
William C Hubbard
Michael Smith
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The American journal of psychiatry, Vol.152(2), pp.191-196
DOI: 10.1176/ajp.152.2.191
PMID: 7840351
NLM abbreviation: Am J Psychiatry
ISSN: 0002-953X
eISSN: 1535-7228
Publisher: United States
Grant note: MH-CRC-43271 / NIMH NIH HHS MH-31593 / NIMH NIH HHS MH-40856 / NIMH NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 02/1995
Academic Unit: Psychiatry; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biostatistics; Nursing; Injury Prevention Research Center; Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9984003485102771

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