Characterization of the deficit syndrome in drug-naive schizophrenia patients: the role of spontaneous movement disorders and neurological soft signs.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to characterize the deficit syndrome in drug-naive schizophrenia patients and to examine the relationship between deficit features and primary neurological abnormalities. Drug-naive schizophrenia patients (n = 102) were examined at baseline for demographics, premorbid functioning, duration of untreated illness (DUI), psychopathology, neurological signs, and deficit symptoms, and reassessed at 1-year follow-up. Neurological abnormalities were examined before inception of antipsychotic medication and included four domains of spontaneous movement disorders (SMD) and four domains of neurological soft signs (NSS). Patients fulfilling the deficit syndrome criteria at the two assessments (n = 20) were compared with nondeficit patients (n = 82) across demographic, clinical, and ne

SUBMITTER: Peralta V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3885291 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature