The english version of the website is under development. Wherever text appears in Greek, it means it has not been translated yet.

Δημοσίευση

Prevalence and correlates of neurological soft signs in healthy controls without family history of any mental disorder: A neurodevelopmental variation rather than a specific risk factor?

TitlePrevalence and correlates of neurological soft signs in healthy controls without family history of any mental disorder: A neurodevelopmental variation rather than a specific risk factor?
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2018
AuthorsFountoulakis, K. N., Panagiotidis P., Kimiskidis V., Nimatoudis I., & Gonda X.
JournalInt J Dev Neurosci
Volume68
Pagination59-65
Date Published2018 08
ISSN1873-474X
KeywordsAdolescent, Adult, Aged, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Disorders, Middle Aged, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Prevalence, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychomotor Disorders, Regression Analysis, Young Adult
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Neurological soft signs (NSS) are a group of minor non-localizable neurological abnormalities found more often in patients with schizophrenia and other mental disorders. The aim of the current study was to investigate their prevalence and correlates in healthy controls without family history of any mental disorder.MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study sample included 122 normal subjects (66 males and 56 females; aged 32.89 ± 9.91 years old). The assessment included the Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES), and a number of scales assessing the subthreshold symptoms (MADRS, STAI) and functioning (GAF). Data on a number of socio-demographic variables were also gathered. The statistical analysis included the development of basic statistics tables and the calculation of Pearson correlation coefficients.RESULTS: The results of the current study suggest that more than half of the study sample manifested at least one NSS and approximately 5% more than four. Still, the reported prevalence and NES scores are lower form those reported in the literature probably because of the carefully selected study sample. There were no significant correlations between NSS and any socio-demographic or clinical variable.DISCUSSION: The current study is the first to study NSS in subjects without family history of any mental disorder and reports the presence of frequent silent neurodevelopmental events in the general population, probably in the form of a neurodevelopmental variation and possibly a weak generic rather than specific risk factor.

DOI10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2018.04.006
Alternate JournalInt J Dev Neurosci
PubMed ID29705589

Contact

Secretariat of the School of Medicine
 

Connect

School of Medicine's presence in social networks
Follow Us or Connect with us.