Psychomotor Slowing and Postural Control in Schizophrenia
Author Information
Author(s): Melanie G. Nuoffer, Anika Schindel, Stephanie Lefebvre, Florian Wüthrich, Niluja Nadesalingam, Alexandra Kyrou, Hassen Kerkeni, Roger Kalla, Jessica Bernard, Sebastian Walther
Primary Institution: University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Hypothesis
Patients with psychomotor slowing would show less postural control and less complexity compared to patients without psychomotor slowing and healthy controls.
Conclusion
Patients with schizophrenia and psychomotor slowing show significant deficits in postural stability and complexity compared to healthy controls.
Supporting Evidence
- Patients with psychomotor slowing exhibited larger sway areas and higher RMS values compared to healthy controls.
- Both patient groups showed reduced complexity in postural control compared to healthy controls.
- Reduced postural stability was associated with greater expert-rated motor abnormalities and more severe negative symptoms.
- Lower complexity was linked to reduced physical activity levels.
Takeaway
People with schizophrenia who move slowly have a harder time keeping their balance than those who don't move slowly or healthy people.
Methodology
The study included 98 patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls, assessing postural stability using a Kistler force plate under various conditions.
Potential Biases
Potential confounding factors such as age, sex, and medication were not fully controlled.
Limitations
The study lacked imaging data to support the speculation of cerebellar involvement and did not account for total antipsychotic exposure.
Participant Demographics
73 patients with psychomotor slowing, 25 without, and 27 healthy controls, with no significant differences in age, BMI, or sex distribution.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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