The relationship of akathisia with suicidality and depersonalization amongpatients with schizophrenia

An association of suicidality and depersonalization with akathisia has been reported, but it is not clear whether these phenomena are specific to akat hisia or are nonspecific manifestations of distress. The authors used the B arnes Akathisia Rating Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (Ham-D) to examine the relationships between su icidality, depersonalization, dysphoria, and akathisia in 68 patients with schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder. Akathisia was associated with h igher scores on the Ham-D ratings of suicidality, depersonalization, and ag itation. In a logistic regression model, depressive mood and subjective awa reness of akathisia appeared to be the only predictors of suicidality and d epersonalization, respectively. These findings support the association betw een akathisia and both suicidality and depersonalization. However, these sy mptoms appear to be nonspecific responses to accompanying depressive mood a nd the subjective awareness of the akathisia syndrome, respectively.