Impaired Fine Motor Skills Research Articles

Differential effects of type of keyboard playing task and tempo on surface EMG amplitudes of forearm muscles.

Despite increasing interest in keyboard playing as a strategy for repetitive finger exercises in fine motor skill development and hand rehabilitation, comparative analysis of task-specific finger movements relevant to keyboard playing has been less extensive. This study examined, whether there were differences in surface EMG activity levels of forearm muscles associated with different keyboard playing tasks. Results demonstrated higher muscle activity with sequential keyboard playing in a random pattern compared to individuated playing or sequential playing in a successive pattern. Also, the speed of finger movements was found as a factor that affect muscle activity levels, demonstrating that faster tempo elicited significantly greater muscle activity than self-paced tempo. The results inform our understanding of the type of finger movements involved in different types of keyboard playing at different tempi. This helps to consider the efficacy and fatigue level of keyboard playing tasks when being used as an intervention for amateur pianists or individuals with impaired fine motor skills.

Oxidative Stress, Motor Abilities, and Behavioral Adjustment in Children Treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

To examine associations among oxidative stress, fine and visual-motor abilities, and behavioral adjustment in children receiving chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) . A prospective, repeated-measures design . Two pediatric oncology settings in the southwestern United States. 89 children with ALL were followed from diagnosis to the end of chemotherapy. Serial cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected during scheduled lumbar punctures and analyzed for oxidative stress biomarkers. Children completed fine motor dexterity, visual processing speed, and visual-motor integration measures at three time points. Parents completed child behavior ratings at the same times. Oxidative stress, fine motor dexterity, visual processing, visual-motor integration, and behavioral adjustment . Children with ALL had below-average fine motor dexterity, visual processing speed, and visual-motor integration following the induction phase of ALL therapy. By end of therapy, visual processing speed normalized, and fine motor dexterity and visual-motor integration remained below average. Oxidative stress measures correlated with fine motor dexterity and visual-motor integration. Decreased motor functioning was associated with increased hyperactivity and anxiety . Oxidative stress occurs following chemo-therapy for childhood ALL and is related to impaired fine motor skills and visual symptoms . Early intervention should be considered to prevent fine motor and visual-spatial deficits, as well as behavioral problems.

PP03.12 – 2645: Identification of early clinical markers for the prediction of neurological involvement in patients with Hunter syndrome: Data from the Hunter Outcome Survey (HOS)

Objective Hunter syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis type II, MPS II, OMIM 30990) is a rare, progressive, X-linked disorder caused by a deficiency in the lysosomal enzyme iduronate-2-sulfatase. All patients present with somatic manifestations of the disease, and the most severely affected individuals also display progressive neurological involvement leading to cognitive impairment. The aim of this analysis was to identify early clinical markers that may predict the development of central nervous system involvement in patients with Hunter syndrome. Methods As of January 2014, data on the prevalence of disease manifestations reported before the age of 2 years were available for 435 patients enrolled in the Hunter Outcome Survey (a Shire-sponsored, multi-national, observational registry). Patients (aged ≥5 years at last assessment) were categorized into severe and non-severe disease groups based on their most recent classification by clinical impression. Clinical markers were compared in the two groups. Results The median ages at onset of signs and symptoms in the severe (n=205) and non-severe (n=230) disease groups were 3.1 and 4.0 years, respectively. In the severe disease group, the proportion of patients experiencing regression in developmental milestones was larger and the prevalence of some signs and symptoms reported before 2 years of age was higher than in the non-severe group. These included neurological manifestations such as cognitive problems (33% versus 4%, respectively), behavioural problems (17%, 2%), hyperactivity (18%, 2%) and fine motor skills impairment (18%, 9%), and somatic manifestations such as coarse facial features (50%, 39%), upper airway infections (32%, 20%), increased upper airway sounds (13%, 7%), rhinor-rhoea (24%, 13%), nasal obstruction (19%, 8%), diarrhoea (18%, 10%) and delayed dentition (13%, 5%). Conclusion Awareness of the clinical markers identified here may aid neurologists with early recognition of patients with Hunter syndrome who are likely to develop neurological involvement.

Fine Motor Skills Relate to Visual Memory in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Memory function is an important determinant of behavioral manifestations and social adaptations in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While a number of studies have examined memory function in people with ASD, whether impaired memory is characteristic of ASD is unclear. This controversy is likely because of the heterogeneity of the ASD population. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between memory function and the severity of various autistic symptoms. Therefore, to assess such relationships, we used the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised and the Multi-dimensional Scale for Pervasive developmental disorder and Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which encompasses symptoms comorbid with ASD, to assess 36 individuals with high-functioning ASD. Participants showed average performance in the memory battery. Interestingly, scores reflecting fine motor skills were significantly associated with visual memory performance. That is, individuals with ASD who exhibit impaired fine motor skills showed poor visual memory. This finding implies that memory variability may be associated with developmental trajectory in people with ASD.

Finger dexterity deficits in Parkinson's disease and somatosensory cortical dysfunction.

The patho-physiological basis for finger dexterity deficits in Parkinson's disease (PD) is controversial. Previously, bradykinesia was regarded as the major mechanism. However, recent research suggested limb-kinetic apraxia as an important component of impaired fine motor skills in PD. In contrast to bradykinesia, limb-kinetic apraxia only marginally responds to dopaminergic treatment. Here we investigate the novel hypothesis that the dexterity deficits are related to an intrinsic dysfunction of primary somatosensory cortex (S1), which is not reversible by dopaminergic medication. Applying a standard and approved dexterity task (coin rotation), brain activation networks were investigated using functional magnetic resonance imaging in PD patients both ON and OFF medication and matched healthy controls. PD patients both ON and OFF medication showed impaired S1 activation relative to controls (p < 0.05; region of interest based analysis). The impaired S1 activation remained unchanged by dopaminergic medication. Despite the considerable clinical deficit, no other brain area showed impaired activation. In contrast, structures of the basal ganglia--motor cortex loop responded to dopaminergic medication. Behaviorally, dexterity performance both ON and OFF was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced relative to controls. Our results provide first evidence that dexterity deficits in PD are related to an S1 dysfunction which is insensitive to dopaminergic treatment.

Long-term functional recovery and compensation after cerebral ischemia in rats

Cerebral ischemia is one of the most common causes of disabilities in adults and leads to long-term motor and cognitive impairments with limited therapeutic possibilities. Treatment options have proven efficient in preclinical models of cerebral ischemia but have failed in the clinical setting. This limited translation may be due to the suitability of models used and outcomes measured as most studies have focused on the early period after injury with gross motor scales, which have limited correlation to the clinical situation. The aim of this study was to determine long-term functional outcomes after cerebral ischemia in rats, focusing on fine motor function, social and depressive behavior as clinically relevant measures. A secondary objective was to evaluate the effects of an anti-inflammatory treatment (interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra)) on functional recovery and compensation. Infarct volume was correlated with long-term (25 days) impairments in fine motor skills, but not with emotional components of behavior. Motor impairments could not be detected using conventional neurological tests and only detailed analysis allowed differentiation between recovery and compensation. Acute systemic administration of IL-1Ra (at reperfusion) led to a faster and more complete recovery, but delayed (24h) IL-1Ra treatment had no effect. In summary functional assessment after brain injury requires detailed motor tests in order to address long-term impairments and compensation processes that are mediated by intact tissues. Functional deficits in skilled movement after brain injury represent ideal predictors of long-term outcomes and should become standard measures in the assessment of preclinical animal models.

Breastfeeding and antiepileptic drugs.

IMPORTANCE Exposure to antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy is associated with adverse effects on psychomotor development. OBJECTIVES To determine whether signs of impaired development appear already during the first months of life in children exposed prenatally to antiepileptic drugs, and to explore potential adverse effects of antiepileptic drug exposure through breastfeeding. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Mothers at 13 to 17 weeks of pregnancy were recruited in the population-based, prospective Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study from 1999 to 2009. The mothers reported on their child’s motor and social skills, language, and behavior using items from standardized screening tools at 6 months (n = 78 744), 18 months (n = 61 351), and 36 months (n = 44 147) of age. The mothers also provided detailed information on breastfeeding during the first year. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The risk of adverse development in children according to maternal or paternal epilepsy was estimated as the odds ratio with corresponding 95% confidence interval, adjusted for maternal age, parity, education, smoking, breastfeeding, depression/anxiety, folate supplementation, and congenital malformation in the child. RESULTS At age 6 months, infants of mothers using antiepileptic drugs (n = 223) had a higher risk of impaired fine motor skills compared with the reference group (11.5% vs 4.8%, respectively; odds ratio = 2.1; 95% CI, 1.3–3.2). Use of multiple antiepileptic drugs compared with the reference group was associated with adverse outcome for both fine motor skills (25.0% vs 4.8%, respectively; odds ratio = 4.3; 95% CI, 2.0–9.1) and social skills (22.5% vs 10.2%, respectively; odds ratio = 2.6; 95% CI, 1.2–5.5). Continuous breastfeeding in children of women using antiepileptic drugs was associated with less impaired development at ages 6 and 18 months compared with those with no breastfeeding or breastfeeding for less than 6 months. At 36 months, prenatal antiepileptic drug exposure was associated with adverse development regardless of breastfeeding status during the first year. Children of women with epilepsy who did not use antiepileptic drugs and children of fathers with epilepsy had normal development at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Prenatal exposure to antiepileptic drugs was associated with impaired fine motor skills already at age 6 months, especially when the child was exposed to multiple drugs. There were no harmful effects of breastfeeding. Women with epilepsy should be encouraged to breastfeed their children irrespective of antiepileptic drug treatment.

Stroke Patient Rehabilitation

Background Cerebral vascular accidents (strokes) are the primary cause of disability worldwide and the second leading cause of death both in the Philippines and internationally. In recent years, a number of computer-based applications have been developed to assist in the stroke recovery process. Aim This article discusses an Android-based tablet game, FINDEX, that aids in the rehabilitation process of stroke survivors with impaired fine motor skills. Method FINDEX was designed and developed in the Philippines. The game contains assessment and monitoring support for tracking the patient’s progress in terms of fine finger dexterity, for example, finger control, isolation and coordination, and range of motions. The baselines for data comparison and analysis were gathered through an initial test with subjects with normal hand function. Three stroke survivors then participated in a pilot study, using the game for a total of nine testing sessions. Results Objective measures showed that patients’ dexterity did in fact improve, although it is not possible to draw strong conclusions because of the small sample size. In subsequent interviews, patients indicated that they believed that the games helped in their recovery and said that they preferred playing with the game over performing the standard therapeutic activities. Conclusion The development of this game and the preliminary findings from the pilot study suggest that games may indeed be effective instruments for therapy.

EPA-0644 - 3p26.3 - candidate loci of intellectual disability

To date 56 reciprocal microdeletion/microduplication syndromes have been described. Due to intensive application of microarray technologies new submicroscopic rearrangements are being published. The reciprocal rearrangements are particularly valuable, since they allow to determine the dosage-sensitive pathogenic genes. To improve ID diagnostics. To identify novel candidate loci of ID. We performed the genome-wide analysis for 79 patients with idiopathic ID using CGH Microarray Kits 4×44K and 8×60K (Agilent Technologies, USA). Pathogenically significant cases were confirmed by qPCR. We present two patients with microdeletion (369 kb) and microduplication (766 kb) at 3p26.3 containing the only gene - CNTN6. The microduplication was inherited from apparently healthy father. The child with microdeletion was an orphan. Recently, the microduplication in 3p26.3 (containing CNTN6 ) has been shown to be associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Contactin 6 is also suggested to play a neuroprotective role in ischemic injury and contribute to granule cell maturation and/or synaptic formation in the developing cerebellum. Considering the experiments with mice we found myotonic syndrome, late development of sit and walk ability in the anamnesis, current fine motor skills impairment and dysarthria in patient with dup3p26.3. His IQ is 47. Dysarthria was also observed in the patient with del3p26.3 (IQ 55). Obviously, CNTN6 can be a novel pathogenic gene associated with ASDs, ID, and motor functions impairment. This study was supported by EU Seventh Framework Program, CHERISH project no. 223692 and by Federal Program of Ministry of Education and Science of Russian Federation no. 8727.

Effects of exposure to antiepileptic drugs during development

A population-based study of babies who were exposed to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in utero revealed impairment of fine motor and social skills as early as 6 months of age. Such neurocognitive changes were independent of breastfeeding status at 18 months, suggesting that breastfeeding can be recommended in women receiving AEDs.

Development of fine motor skills in preterm infants

Fine motor skills are related to functioning in daily life and at school. We reviewed the status of knowledge, in preterm children, on the development of fine motor skills, the relation with gross motor skills, and risk factors for impaired fine motor skills. We searched the past 15 years in PubMed, using ['motor skills' or 'fine motor function' and 'preterm infant'] as the search string. Impaired gross and fine motor skills are among the most frequently occurring problems encountered by preterm children who do not develop cerebral palsy. The prevalence is around 40% for mild to moderate impairment and 20% for moderate impairment. Fine motor skill scores on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children are about 0.62 of a standard deviation lower compared with term children. Risk factors for fine motor impairments include moderately preterm birth (odds ratio [OR] 2.0) and, among very preterm children (<32 wk gestation), intra-uterine growth restriction (ORs 2-3), inflammatory conditions (late-onset sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis, ORs 3-5), and dexamethasone therapy for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (OR 2.7). A better understanding of factors that play a role in the development of and recovery from brain injury could guide future intervention attempts aimed at improving fine motor skills of preterm children.

Early Child Development and Exposure to Antiepileptic Drugs Prenatally and Through Breastfeeding

Exposure to antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy is associated with adverse effects on psychomotor development. To determine whether signs of impaired development appear already during the first months of life in children exposed prenatally to antiepileptic drugs, and to explore potential adverse effects of antiepileptic drug exposure through breastfeeding. Mothers at 13 to 17 weeks of pregnancy were recruited in the population-based, prospective Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study from 1999 to 2009. The mothers reported on their child's motor and social skills, language, and behavior using items from standardized screening tools at 6 months (n = 78,744), 18 months (n = 61,351), and 36 months (n = 44,147) of age. The mothers also provided detailed information on breastfeeding during the first year. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The risk of adverse development in children according to maternal or paternal epilepsy was estimated as the odds ratio with corresponding 95% confidence interval, adjusted for maternal age, parity, education, smoking, breastfeeding, depression/anxiety, folate supplementation, and congenital malformation in the child. At age 6 months, infants of mothers using antiepileptic drugs (n = 223) had a higher risk of impaired fine motor skills compared with the reference group (11.5% vs 4.8%, respectively; odds ratio = 2.1; 95% CI, 1.3-3.2). Use of multiple antiepileptic drugs compared with the reference group was associated with adverse outcome for both fine motor skills (25.0% vs 4.8%, respectively; odds ratio = 4.3; 95% CI, 2.0-9.1) and social skills (22.5% vs 10.2%, respectively; odds ratio = 2.6; 95% CI, 1.2-5.5). Continuous breastfeeding in children of women using antiepileptic drugs was associated with less impaired development at ages 6 and 18 months compared with those with no breastfeeding or breastfeeding for less than 6 months. At 36 months, prenatal antiepileptic drug exposure was associated with adverse development regardless of breastfeeding status during the first year. Children of women with epilepsy who did not use antiepileptic drugs and children of fathers with epilepsy had normal development at 6 months. Prenatal exposure to antiepileptic drugs was associated with impaired fine motor skills already at age 6 months, especially when the child was exposed to multiple drugs. There were no harmful effects of breastfeeding. Women with epilepsy should be encouraged to breastfeed their children irrespective of antiepileptic drug treatment.

PRRT2 mutations: exploring the phenotypical boundaries

BackgroundMutations in the proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 (PRRT2) gene have been identified in patients with benign (familial) infantile convulsions (B(F)IC), infantile convulsions with choreoathetosis (ICCA) and paroxysmal dyskinesias (PDs). However...

Teaching Neuro Images : MRI guides genetics

A 12-year-old German girl presented with progressive spastic-ataxic gait and impaired fine motor skills starting from early childhood. MRI revealed striking T2-signal abnormalities in the cerebral and cerebellar white matter, pyramidal tracts and dorsal columns of the spinal cord, as well as lactate elevation in magnetic resonance spectroscopy, indicating leukoencephalopathy with brainstem and spinal cord involvement and lactate elevation (LBSL) (figure). Sequencing of DARS2 1 revealed compound heterozygous frame shift and premature stop mutations (established c.228-11C>G, novel c.617_663del).

Fifteen-year follow-up of upper limb function in children with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury

To describe the impaired fine-motor skills in patients with traumatic brain injury acquired in childhood. A total of 165 patients with traumatic brain injury, aged 0-17 years, injured during the period 1987-1991, were identified. Fifteen years post-injury a questionnaire was sent to the patients. Twenty-six of the subjects had upper limb problems, 15 of whom agreed to participate and 12 attended an evaluation. The Sollerman test was administered. This test consists of 20 activities, of which 7 hand-grips were used (pulp-pinch, lateral pinch, tripod pinch, 5-finger pinch, diagonal, transverse and spherical volar grip). Each sub-test was scored from 0 to 4 points. Each task must be performed within 20 s. The maximum score was 80. Bimanual fine motor skills were classified by Bimanual Fine Motor Function (BFMF). BFMF consists of 5 levels of function of each hand. Level I is normal function, level II-V means subnormal function in an increasing grade. Co-ordination, spasticity, 2PD and stereognosis were also measured. All patients had subnormal results on the Sollerman test. Fifty-eight percent had abnormal scores on the BFMF test. The Sollerman test seemed to be reliable at picking up hand motor problems, as all subjects who reported such problems scored subnormally. This is in contrast to the BFMF test findings, where only 60% of our group scored subnormally.

The impact of having natural teeth on the QoL of frail dentulous older people. A qualitative study

BackgroundIn order to adapt oral care and treatment to the demands of the growing group of frail dentulous older people, it is important to understand how and to which extent having natural teeth contributes to the quality of life (QoL) of frail older people and how frailty influences their perspective.MethodsA qualitative approach was used. Interviews with 38 Dutch frail older dentulous people were tape-recorded, transcribed, coded for content and analyzed. Additional information was collected which included age, gender, living situation, use of dental prostheses, self-reported oral health status, chronic disorders, and an index for frailty.ResultsSeven themes were identified in the relationship between natural teeth and the QoL of the participants: pride and achievement; intactness; sense of control; oral function; appearance; comfort; along with coping and adapting to disabilities. Having natural teeth generally had a positive effect on QoL. Positive effects through pride and achievement, intactness, and sense of control were most apparent for the most severely frail. They compared themselves with peers who are more often edentate, and valued the good state of their teeth against the background of their declining health, especially those with disabilities causing severe chronic pain or impaired fine-motor skills. The effect of coping with and adaptation to tooth loss was also most apparent for the most severely frail. There was a gender effect in that the men generally cared less about having natural teeth than women, regardless of their level of frailty.ConclusionsQoL of frail older people is positively influenced by natural teeth, and this effect seems to increase with increasing frailty. Preservation of teeth contributes to a positive body image and self-worth. Oral care for frail people should aim to preserve natural teeth if possible.

Aging of the dopaminergic system and motor behavior in mice intoxicated with the parkinsonian toxin 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine

1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) intoxication of mice is a standard model of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, it does not reproduce functionally PD. Given the occurrence of PD during aging, symptoms might only be detected in MPTP-intoxicated mice after aging. To address this, mice injected with MPTP at 2.5 months were followed up to a maximum age of 21 months. There was no loss of dopamine cells with aging in control mice; moreover, the initial post-MPTP intoxication decrease in dopamine cell was no longer significant at 21 months. With aging, striatal dopamine level remained constant, but concentrations of the dopamine metabolites dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were markedly reduced in both groups. There was also a late impairment of fine motor skills. After MPTP intoxication, hyperactivity was immediately detected and it became greater than in control mice from 14 months of age; fine motor skills were also more impaired; both these symptoms were correlated with striatal dopamine, DOPAC and HVA concentrations. In bothgroups, neither motor symptoms nor dopamine changes worsened with age. These findings do not support the notion that PD develops with age in mice after MPTP intoxication and that the motor deficits seen are because of an aging process.

Fine motor skills and interhemispheric transfer in treatment‐naive male children with Tourette syndrome

This study addressed whether Tourette syndrome is associated with an impairment of fine motor skills or altered interhemispheric transfer. We additionally investigated the association between interhemispheric transfer and size of the corpus callosum. The sample, a subsample of our larger neuroimaging sample, included 27 treatment-naive males with 'pure' Tourette syndrome (age range 10y 2mo-14y 4mo; mean age 11y 10mo, SD 1y 2mo) and 26 matched healthy comparison children (age range 10y 2mo-14y 4mo; mean age 11y 10mo, SD 1y 1mo). A finger tapping task and the Purdue Pegboard were used to assess fine motor skills. Interhemispheric transfer time (ITT) was measured with the Poffenberger paradigm. The neuroanatomical data were derived from our previous neuroimaging study. ITT was negatively correlated with the size of callosal subregion 3 (r=-0.366, p=0.028), indicating that a shorter ITT was associated with a larger corpus callosum. Our findings support the assumption that previously reported impairment of motor skills in Tourette syndrome does not directly result from tics but from other factors such as medication or comorbidities. Following the assumption that callosal subregion 3 in Tourette syndrome grows as a consequence of tic performance over years, our preliminary results suggest that this growth might accelerate interhemispheric transfer in Tourette syndrome.

Regional Cerebellar Volumes Predict Functional Outcome in Children with Cerebellar Malformations

The cerebellum has recently been recognized for its role in high-order functions, including cognition, language, and behavior. Recent studies have also begun to describe a functional topography of the mature cerebellum that includes organization on a mediolateral axis. However, no study to date has examined the relationship between regional cerebellar volume and developmental disabilities in children with cerebellar malformations. The objective of this study was to estimate the extent to which total and regional cerebellar volumes are associated with developmental disabilities in a cohort of children with cerebellar malformations. Children aged 1 to 6years with a diagnosis of cerebellar malformation underwent standardized outcome measures and quantitative magnetic resonance scanning. The cerebellum was parcellated into seven mediolateral zones (three for each hemisphere plus the vermis) for regional volume analysis. In children with cerebellar malformations, decreased total cerebellar volume was associated with delays in global development, expressive language, cognition, as well as gross and fine motor function. Decreased volume in the right lateral cerebellar hemisphere was related to impaired cognition, expressive language, and gross motor function. Additionally, reduced vermis volume was associated with impaired global development, cognition, expressive language, and gross and fine motor skills, as well as behavior problems and a higher rate of positive autism spectrum screening test. These results begin to define the structural topography of functional outcome in children with cerebellar malformations and should lead to greater accuracy of prognostication as well as timely early developmental interventions.

Semantic fluency and executive functions as candidate endophenotypes for the early diagnosis of schizophrenia in Han Chinese

Neurocognitive deficits are recognized as core features of schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to compare the cognitive performance of antipsychotic, drug-naive patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FES patients) to their healthy siblings and to healthy controls from the Han Chinese population for exploring potential endophenotypes for the early detection of schizophrenia. A battery of cognitive assessment tools was used to measure seven cognitive domains in matched groups consisting of 56 subjects each. Cognitive tests included the grooved pegboard test (GPT), the category fluency test (CFT), the trail making test A (TMT-A), the Wechsler memory scale-III spatial span test (WMS-III SST), the Hopkins verbal learning test-revised (HVLT-R), the brief visuospatial memory test-revised (BVMT-R), the paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT), and the Wisconsin card sorting test-64 cards version (WCST-64). The performances of FEP patients were inferior to normal controls on all neuropsychological tests, while siblings were lower than healthy controls in many of the same tasks. Patients’ performances were lower than siblings’ on all tests except for the CFT, the WMS-III SST backward test, and four subtests of the WCST-64. Our data suggest that FEP patients exhibited pronounced impairment of fine motor skills, speed of processing, attention, verbal memory, visual memory, and executive function, while siblings exhibited deficits intermediate between those of schizophrenic patients and the control group. Semantic fluency function and executive function may be potential endophenotypes for the early diagnosis of schizophrenia.