Citation

Mayoral M, Bombín I, Castro-Fornieles J, González-Pinto A, Otero S, Parellada M, Moreno D, Baeza I, Graell M, Rapado M, Arango C. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry 2012; 53(3): 323-331.

Affiliation

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Spain Department of Neuropsychology, Reintegra Foundation; Department of Psychology, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Institut Clinic of Neurosciences, IDIBAPS, SGR-1119, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona; Department of Psychiatry and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Spain Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Santiago Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02475.x

PMID

22023091

Abstract

Background:  In recent decades, the assessment of neurological soft signs (NSS) in patients with psychosis has become a subject of special interest. The study of the progression of NSS during adolescence will provide valuable information about the role of NSS as endophenotypes or biomarkers and about brain development at a stage in which brain maturation has not yet been completed. Methods:  Neurological soft signs were assessed in a sample of 110 first episodes of early-onset psychosis (EOP) and 98 healthy children and adolescents at two different times in a 2-year follow-up period. Results:  Patients with EOP showed more NSS than controls both at baseline (p < .001) and the 2-year follow-up (p < .001). No differences were found in the number of signs among the different diagnostic subgroups (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other psychoses). When we examined the changes in NSS over the follow-up, the reduction of NSS in the patients was greater than the controls for 'Motor coordination' (p = .032), 'Others' (p < .001), and 'Total score' (p < .001) of the NES. Conclusion:  Despite the greater reduction of NSS in patients than in controls along the follow-up, patients still have more neurological signs than healthy controls; therefore, these signs may be considered a trait marker. NSS do not seem to be specific to schizophrenia as they are present in different EOPs.

Language: en