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A new method to assess motor disorder and handedness in schizophrenia
previous studies, preliminary results suggest that schizophrenia patients do not have marked impairments, particularly when given adequate time and cues to make judgements. Earlier studies reporting deficits in affect recognition may actually have been measuring attention and speed of processing or genera1 cognitive impairment rather than affect perception per se.
A NEW METHOD TO ASSESS MOTOR DISORDER AND HANDEDNESS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA C.R. Blyler*, B.A. Maher, A. Brooks, T. Mans&reck Department of Psychology, 02138, USA
Harvard University,
Cambridge,
MA
A simple quantitative method, suggested by Maher, is developed as a potentially useful measure of motor disorder and handedness. A line is drawn with either the left or right hand, proceeding either from left to right or right to left. Each subject produces one line for each of the four cells. Lines are then scanned into a computer, and the root mean square error (RMS) of a regression performed on each line is used to measure the straightness of the line. The average RMS may represent a relatively stable measure of motor disorder. Test-retest reliability for the measure was 0.53 (p=.O622) in a group of 13 DSM-III-R schizophrenic subjects. A group of 49 DSM-III-R schizophrenics was significantly worse (p=.O134) on this motor measure than 31 normal controls. Line data from 46 schizophrenics and 20 controls were further used to construct a handedness measure. For each hand, the RMSs of the two lines drawn with that hand were averaged. The difference between the two hand averages was taken as a continuous handedness measure, and a significant one-tailed t-test (p=.OOl) showed that the measure does differentiate self-defined right- and left-handers. In 64% of the cases, subjects produced smaller RMSs for the hand they use to write. In this sample, schizophrenics and controls did not differ on the handedness measures, suggesting similar brain lateralization in the two groups.
ROLE OF ‘COPING IN CLINICAL COURSE OF ILLNESS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA
STATUS
AND
W. Biiker, H.D. Brenner*, M. Merlo Psychiatrische Universitiitsklinik Bern. Bolligenstrasse 3072, Ostermundigen, Switzerland
I1 1, CH-
The vulnerability-stress model of schizophrenia has stimulated interest in the coping efforts mobilized by afflicted patients
to meet stressful demands. Clinical applications of the coping paradigm have been recently suggested as a promising new therapeutic approach. They should, however, be derived from sound empirical knowledge of the role of coping in determining the onset, course, and outcome of schizophrenia. In a prospective study funded by the Swiss National Foundation we examined the interactions by which coping and a wide range of other variables influence one another at 6 and 12 month follow-up points in a group of 28 first-episode schizophrenic patients. The variables assessed included: personality factors (level of premorbid adjustment, vulnerability, psychological resources, etc.); environmental factors (acute and chronic stresses, etc.); psychopathology (positive and negative symptoms, impairments, psychosocial adjustment, etc.). Coping was assessed by the Osnabriick Coping Questionnaire. Based on an interactive-developmental model of schizophrenia, we hypothesized outcome relevant transactions between coping and psychological resources, vulnerability, life events, life stress, and symptomatology. Synchronic and diachronic analysis of the data obtained over the three cross-sections will be presented and discussed. The findings of a preliminary study of 30 chronic schizophrenic patients revealed that these subjects could be characterized according to different coping behaviours within the framework at a situation/operation concept of coping, and that there exist theoretically and clinically relevant relationships between different forms of coping and psychopathology as well as component traits of course and outcome.
DERMATOGLYPHICS J.S. Brewin*,
IN SCHIZOPHRENIA
G. Maw
Department of Psychiatry, Universi@ Hospital, A Floor, South Block, Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK The concept of schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental disorder has recently been proposed, supportive evidence coming from neuropathological studies. The viral hypothesis of schizophrenia suggests a maternal infection with influenza during the second trimester of pregnancy. The upper limb and skin also develop during this period and by studying dermatoglyphic patterns in patients with schizophrenia we can look for differences that may suggest an interference with fetal development at this critical time. We will present results of 30 DSMIIIR patients with schizophrenia and 30 matched controls. A number of quantitative dermatoglyphic characteristics including, ridge patterns, palmar and finger ridge counts. inter-radial distances and atd angles will be compared. We propose that there will be a significant difference in the measurements between the two groups. If our results support our hypothesis it would indicate that there is some interference of fetal development in schizophrenia, and this would correspond to the same period as suggested in the viral hypothesis. For the future we will look at larger numbers of patients and investigate the specificity for schizophrenia, and for particular subtypes of the disorder, ie those with a history of obstetric complications and premorbid personality disorder.
A NEW METHOD TO ASSESS MOTOR DISORDER AND HANDEDNESS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA C.R. Blyler*, B.A. Maher, A. Brooks, T. Mans&reck Department of Psychology, 02138, USA
Harvard University,
Cambridge,
MA
A simple quantitative method, suggested by Maher, is developed as a potentially useful measure of motor disorder and handedness. A line is drawn with either the left or right hand, proceeding either from left to right or right to left. Each subject produces one line for each of the four cells. Lines are then scanned into a computer, and the root mean square error (RMS) of a regression performed on each line is used to measure the straightness of the line. The average RMS may represent a relatively stable measure of motor disorder. Test-retest reliability for the measure was 0.53 (p=.O622) in a group of 13 DSM-III-R schizophrenic subjects. A group of 49 DSM-III-R schizophrenics was significantly worse (p=.O134) on this motor measure than 31 normal controls. Line data from 46 schizophrenics and 20 controls were further used to construct a handedness measure. For each hand, the RMSs of the two lines drawn with that hand were averaged. The difference between the two hand averages was taken as a continuous handedness measure, and a significant one-tailed t-test (p=.OOl) showed that the measure does differentiate self-defined right- and left-handers. In 64% of the cases, subjects produced smaller RMSs for the hand they use to write. In this sample, schizophrenics and controls did not differ on the handedness measures, suggesting similar brain lateralization in the two groups.
ROLE OF ‘COPING IN CLINICAL COURSE OF ILLNESS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA
STATUS
AND
W. Biiker, H.D. Brenner*, M. Merlo Psychiatrische Universitiitsklinik Bern. Bolligenstrasse 3072, Ostermundigen, Switzerland
I1 1, CH-
The vulnerability-stress model of schizophrenia has stimulated interest in the coping efforts mobilized by afflicted patients
to meet stressful demands. Clinical applications of the coping paradigm have been recently suggested as a promising new therapeutic approach. They should, however, be derived from sound empirical knowledge of the role of coping in determining the onset, course, and outcome of schizophrenia. In a prospective study funded by the Swiss National Foundation we examined the interactions by which coping and a wide range of other variables influence one another at 6 and 12 month follow-up points in a group of 28 first-episode schizophrenic patients. The variables assessed included: personality factors (level of premorbid adjustment, vulnerability, psychological resources, etc.); environmental factors (acute and chronic stresses, etc.); psychopathology (positive and negative symptoms, impairments, psychosocial adjustment, etc.). Coping was assessed by the Osnabriick Coping Questionnaire. Based on an interactive-developmental model of schizophrenia, we hypothesized outcome relevant transactions between coping and psychological resources, vulnerability, life events, life stress, and symptomatology. Synchronic and diachronic analysis of the data obtained over the three cross-sections will be presented and discussed. The findings of a preliminary study of 30 chronic schizophrenic patients revealed that these subjects could be characterized according to different coping behaviours within the framework at a situation/operation concept of coping, and that there exist theoretically and clinically relevant relationships between different forms of coping and psychopathology as well as component traits of course and outcome.
DERMATOGLYPHICS J.S. Brewin*,
IN SCHIZOPHRENIA
G. Maw
Department of Psychiatry, Universi@ Hospital, A Floor, South Block, Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK The concept of schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental disorder has recently been proposed, supportive evidence coming from neuropathological studies. The viral hypothesis of schizophrenia suggests a maternal infection with influenza during the second trimester of pregnancy. The upper limb and skin also develop during this period and by studying dermatoglyphic patterns in patients with schizophrenia we can look for differences that may suggest an interference with fetal development at this critical time. We will present results of 30 DSMIIIR patients with schizophrenia and 30 matched controls. A number of quantitative dermatoglyphic characteristics including, ridge patterns, palmar and finger ridge counts. inter-radial distances and atd angles will be compared. We propose that there will be a significant difference in the measurements between the two groups. If our results support our hypothesis it would indicate that there is some interference of fetal development in schizophrenia, and this would correspond to the same period as suggested in the viral hypothesis. For the future we will look at larger numbers of patients and investigate the specificity for schizophrenia, and for particular subtypes of the disorder, ie those with a history of obstetric complications and premorbid personality disorder.