NEUROLOGICAL ABNORMALITIES IN SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS AND THEIR SIBLINGS

The The aim of this study was to investigate the Prevalence nod type o f neurological abnormalities in schizophrenic patients and their nonps ychotic siblings. Method: A comprehensive neurological assessment, inc luding evaluation of both hard and soft signs, was performed for 60 sc hizophrenic patients, 21 siblings, and 75 normal comparison subjects. Results: None of the comparison subjects scored higher than 6 on the n eurological assessment scale, but a score of 7 or higher was given to 67% of patients and 19% of siblings. Both patients and siblings scored significantly higher than comparison subjects on total neurological a bnormalities, hard signs, soft signs, primitive reflexes integrative s ensory functions, and motor functions. The most conspicuous abnormalit ies were motor coordination problems and involuntary movements in the patients and cranial nerve deviations and mirror movements in their si blings. Levels oi neurological abnormality positively correlated withi n patient-sibling pairs. The total battery and hard signs best discrim inated patients from comparison subjects. Conclusions: High levels of neurological abnormality characterize both schizophrenic patients and their siblings. The constellation of abnormalities and absence of over t psychopathology in siblings may represent the mildest form of distur bance within the schizophrenia spectrum. Levels of neurological abnorm ality covary positively in patients and siblings within the same famil y, suggesting common genetic and/or environmental pathogenic factors. An extended assessment battery provides optimal discrimination of pati ents from normal subjects, and hard signs are move differentially asso ciated with schizophrenia than are soft signs. The neurological abnorm ality has no consistent localizing profile, and nearly all functional domains are involved.