Fj. Sautter et al., NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL DEFICITS IN PROBANDS FROM MULTIPLY-AFFECTED SCHIZOPHRENIC FAMILIES, Journal of Psychiatric Research, 31(5), 1997, pp. 497-508
This study was designed to determine if schizophrenics from families w
ith more than one psychotic relative show more severe neuropsychologic
al deficits than schizophrenics with only one psychotic relative, non-
familial schizophrenics, and a group of matched normal controls. Eight
y one schizophrenic-spectrum patients were divided into three groups o
n the basis of the presence of psychotic disorder among first-and seco
nd-degree relatives. The three groups of schizophrenics and the normal
controls were compared for differences on a brief neuropsychological
testing battery. The four groups showed significant multivariate diffe
rences. Patients from multiply-affected families showed significantly
greater neuropsychological dysfunction on measures of abstract concept
formation, visuomotor-coordination, and attention than patients from
families that had only one psychotic relative. Schizophrenics from low
-density families showed more severe deficits in fine motor-control th
an non-familial schizophrenics. These data suggest that abnormalities
in those frontal systems that are likely to mediate fine motor control
and abstract concept formation may be related to the degree of famili
al loading for psychotic disorder. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.