Two subgroups of schizophrenia identified by systematic cognitive neuropsychiatric mapping

Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2010 Apr;260(3):257-66. doi: 10.1007/s00406-009-0073-6. Epub 2009 Oct 15.

Abstract

The description of the heterogeneous phenomenological, pathophysiological, and etiological nature of schizophrenia is under way; however, the relationships between heterogeneity levels are still unclear. We performed a robust cross-sectional study, including a systematic neuropsychological battery, assessment of clinical symptoms, neurological soft signs, morphogenetic anomalies and smell identification, and measurement of event-related potentials on 50 outpatients with schizophrenia in their compensated states. An explorative fuzzy cluster analysis revealed two subgroups in this sample that could be distinguished from each other on symptomatological, cognitive and neurological levels. The patterns of cognitive dysfunctions and neurological developmental anomalies equally indicate that there may be hemispherical differences between the patients belonging to the different clusters.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation / methods
  • Adult
  • Algorithms
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Cognition / physiology*
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology
  • Contingent Negative Variation / physiology
  • Electroencephalography / methods
  • Evoked Potentials, Auditory / physiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Neuropsychological Tests*
  • Probability
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Schizophrenia* / classification
  • Schizophrenia* / complications
  • Schizophrenia* / diagnosis
  • Schizophrenic Psychology*
  • Smell / physiology
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Young Adult