A systematic review and meta-analysis of neurological soft signs in relatives of people with schizophrenia

BMC Psychiatry

Research Article

Deepak Garg¹  Kishen Neelam²  Max Marshall³ 

[1] Humber NHS Foundation Trust, Clarendon Health Centre (Victoria House), Park Street, HU2 8TD, Hull, UK;Lantern centre, University of Manchester, Vicarage Lane, PR2 8DY, Preston, UK;Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Bury New Road, M25 3BL, Prestwich, Manchester, UK;Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, Walton Summit, PR5 6AW, Preston, UK;Lantern centre, University of Manchester, Vicarage Lane, PR2 8DY, Preston, UK;Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, Walton Summit, PR5 6AW, Preston, UK;

关键词: Schizophrenia;    Standardize Mean Difference;    Neurological Soft Sign;    Soft Sign;    Familial Association;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-244X-11-139

 received in 2010-06-02, accepted in 2011-08-22,  发布年份 2011

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundNeurological soft signs are subtle but observable impairments in motor and sensory functions that are not localized to a specific area of the brain. Neurological soft signs are common in schizophrenia. It has been established that soft signs meet two of five criteria for an endophenotype, namely: association with the illness, and state independence. This review investigated whether soft signs met a further criterion for an endophenotype, namely familial association. It was hypothesized that if familial association were present then neurological soft signs would be: (a) more common in first-degree relatives of people with schizophrenia than in controls; and (b) more common in people with schizophrenia than in their first-degree relatives.MethodA systematic search identified potentially eligible studies in the EMBASE (1980-2011), OVID - MEDLINE (1950-2011) and PsycINFO (1806-2011) databases. Studies were included if they carried out a three-way comparison of levels of soft signs between people with schizophrenia, their first-degree relatives, and normal controls. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers and cross-checked by double entry.ResultsAfter screening 8678 abstracts, seven studies with 1553 participants were identified. Neurological soft signs were significantly more common in first-degree relatives of people with schizophrenia than in controls (pooled standardised mean difference (SMD) 1.24, 95% confidence interval (c.i) 0.59-1.89). Neurological soft signs were also significantly more common in people with schizophrenia than in their first-degree relatives (SMD 0.92, 95% c.i 0.64-1.20). Sensitivity analyses examining the effects of age and group blinding did not significantly alter the main findings.ConclusionsBoth hypotheses were confirmed, suggesting that the distribution of neurological soft signs in people with schizophrenia and their first-degree relatives is consistent with the endophenotype criterion of familial association.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Neelam et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2011