S. Gherardelli, L. Ramieri, I. Taddei, G. Tanfani, G. Bersani - Vol. 7, Marzo 2001, num.1
Testo Immagini Bibliografia Summary Riassunto Indice
Neurological Soft Signs e correlati
neuromorfologici in un campione di pazienti schizofrenici maschi
"Neurological Soft Signs" and neuromorphological correlates in a sample
of male schizophrenic patients
Recent studies of neuroanatomy in schizophrenic subjects allowed to evidentiate the occurrence of brain structures interested by involutional and atrophic events. With the introduction of Computed Tomography (CT) in psychiatry, it was possible to visualize more frequently in schizophrenic patients both ventricular enlargement and cortical brain atrophy, specially in the frontal, temporal and parietal areas. The evidence of a higher frequency of "soft" neurological alterations in schizophrenic subjects added further to the hypothesis that the illness produces brain changes. The sample was composed of 36 schizophrenic male patients and the Neurological Soft Signs (NSS) were assessed using an Italian version of the Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) by Buchanan and Heinrichs (1989) 9. Aim of this study was to investigate a possible relationship between frequency and severity of NSS and measures of cortical and subcortical brain structures, using CT scans. No significant correlation emerged between NES functional areas of interest and total scores, and brain measurements, but some positive and inverse correlations with individual item scores were found. Results suggest a diffuse and aspecific brain impairment, including brain cortical and subcortical regions.