Neurological Soft Signs In Patients Research Articles

A preliminary study on similarities and dissimilarities of Neurological Soft Signs in schizophrenic and obsessive-compulsive disorders suggests a common maldevelopmental model.

Neurological Soft Signs (NSS) represent minor neurological signs related to non-specific cerebral alterations. They have been documented in many psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia (SCZ) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Aim of this study was to determine and compare the incidence and severity of NSS in patients with SCZ, in patients with OCD, and healthy control subjects (HCs). Using the Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES), this study investigated NSS in 15 SCZ patients, 14 OCD patients, and 15 HCs. PANSS and Y-BOCS were used to evaluate clinical picture in both groups. Patients with SCZ showed significantly higher scores compared to HCs in the NES total and each of the three NES subscales (Integrative Sensory Function, Motor Coordination, and Sequencing of Complex Motor Acts). Patients with OCD also showed significantly higher scores compared to HCs in the NES total, Motor Coordination and Sequencing of Complex Motor Acts, but not in Integrative Sensory Function. No significant differences emerged in the NES total and the various subscales scores between the two patients' groups. Our results seem to confirm the presence of NSS in both SCZ and OCD. The different types of NSS presented by the two patients' groups versus HCs further supports the findings of widespread cerebral alterations in SCZ, on the other hand, with a preferential involvement of prefrontal and frontal cortex in OCD.

The Impact of Antipsychotic Treatment on Neurological Soft Signs in Patients with Predominantly Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a complex and incompletely elucidated pathology that affects sensorimotor function and also produces numerous therapeutic challenges. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to identify the profile of neurological soft signs (NSS) in patients with predominantly negative symptoms of schizophrenia (PNS) compared with patients with schizophrenia who do not present a predominance of negative symptoms (NPNS) and also to objectify the impact of treatment on the neurological function of these patients. Ninety-nine (n = 99; 56 females and 43 males) patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-V were included; these patients were undergoing antipsychotic (4 typical antipsychotics, 86 atypical antipsychotics, and 9 combinations of two atypical antipsychotics) or anticholinergic treatment (24 out of 99) at the time of evaluation, and the PANSS was used to identify the patients with predominantly negative symptoms (n = 39), the Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) was used for the evaluation of neurological soft signs (NSS), and the SAS was used for the objectification of the extrapyramidal side effects induced by the neuroleptic treatment, which was converted to chlorpromazine equivalents (CPZE). The study's main finding was that, although the daily dose of CPZE did not represent a statistically significant variable, in terms of neurological soft signs, patients with PNS had higher rates of NSS.

Neurological Soft Signs in Patients with Psychotic Symptoms and without Psychotic Symptoms: A Direct Comparison

Neurological Soft Signs in Patients with Psychotic Symptoms and without Psychotic Symptoms: A Direct Comparison

Neurological Soft Signs in Cannabis Use Disorder with or without Psychosis: A Comparative Study from India

Objective The purpose of this study was to assess and compare neurological soft signs in patients of cannabis use disorder (CUD) with and without co-occurring psychosis in a treatment-seeking sample. Methods: We included 30 right-handed male subjects aged 18–65 years diagnosed with CUD (as per DSM-5) without any co-occurring psychiatric disorder in group I and those with co-occurring non-affective psychosis in group II. Group III consisted of 30 age and sex-matched, right-handed, healthy subjects with no psychiatric or medical conditions. Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) was applied to measure neurological soft signs across the groups. We also used the Severity of Dependence Scale (in CUD with or without co-occurring non-affective psychosis groups) and Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms, Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale, Abnormal Involuntary Movements Scale, and Simpson Angus Scale (in CUD with co-occurring non-affective psychosis group). Results: Our data suggested higher total NES mean scores in CUD with (20.53 ± 13.77) or without co-occurring non-affective psychosis groups (15.93 ± 9.86) as compared to healthy controls (6.20 ± 5.40) (χ 2 = 23.12; p < .001). However, there were no differences between cannabis use disorder with or without co-occurring non-affective psychosis groups. The mean of subdomain scores of motor incoordination, sequencing of complex motor tasks, sensory integration, and others was significantly higher in CUD with or without co-occurring non-affective psychosis groups compared to healthy controls. Conclusion: Impairment in neurological soft signs is present in patients with CUD regardless of a co-occurring psychosis. Cannabinoids might be interacting with the brain circuits known to be involved in schizophrenia.

A comparative study on neurological soft signs in patients suffering from schizophrenia, their first-degree relatives and healthy control

Introduction: Neurological soft signs (NSS) can be defined as a group of minor nonlocalizable neurological abnormalities, including simple motor coordination, complex motor sequencing, and sensory integration dysfunctions. Research has postulated complex etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia which is amalgamation of various genetic, biological, and psychosocial factors. This study provides us opportunity to endorse the neurodevelopmental hypothesis in schizophrenia.Aim: The aim of this study is to study and compare NSS in patients suffering from schizophrenia, first-degree relatives and healthy controls.Methods: A cross-sectional, observational, noninterventional, single time assessment, and hospital-based study was carried out on 60 patients, 60 first-degree relatives, and 60 healthy controls. Evaluation was done using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Cambridge Neurological Inventory (Part 2). Results were obtained, tabulated, and analyzed.Results: We observed that patients with schizophrenia had more NSS than healthy control as well as their first-degree relatives. Similarly, first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia had more NSS than healthy control. The most common soft sign in patients as well as relatives was Oseretsky test. Most of the patients performed poorly on tests for motor coordination and sensory integration so did their first-degree relatives.Conclusion: NSS can be potential endophenotype for patients suffering from schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia had more NSS than healthy control as well as their first-degree relatives. Similarly, first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia had more NSS than healthy control. This suggests a role of common genetic and/or environmental factors in the pathogenesis of these abnormalities in the two groups. This is in with support neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia.

Validade e Confiabilidade da Versão Portuguesa da Brief Motor Scale em Pessoas com Esquizofrenia: Um Estudo Preliminar

Introdução: Os sinais neurológicos discretos (NNS) indicam uma disfunção cerebral não específica e têm sido documentados no curso clínico da esquizofrenia, sendo considerados como sintomas importantes para a monitorização da doença. A Brief Motor Scale (BMS) tem sido amplamente utilizada para avaliar os sinais neurológicos discretos em pessoas com esquizofrenia, mas a versão portuguesa continua indisponível. O objetivo deste estudo é a investigação da validade e confiabilidade da versão portuguesa Brief of Motor Scale (BMS_pt).&#x0D; Material e Métodos: As orientações internacionais para o processo de adaptação transcultural do instrumento foram consideradas. Participaram no estudo 43 adultos com esquizofrenia, entre os 23 e 63 anos (39,74±11,16), 38 homens e 5 mulheres.&#x0D; Resultados: Os índices de validade de conteúdo (&gt;0,75) da BMS_pt demonstraram um acordo moderado/forte entre os especialistas. A consistência interna foi confirmada, com alfa de Cronbach variando de 0,82 a 0,87. As correlações de Pearson variaram entre 0,93 e 0,99 (p&lt;0,01). A análise fatorial exploratória resultou num modelo de dois fatores que explicou 58,91% da variância total.&#x0D; Conclusão: Verificou‑se que todos os itens da BMS_pt são relevantes. A BMS_pt parece ser um instrumento válido e fiável para avaliar os sinais neurológicos motores discretos em pessoas com esquizofrenia, e com potencial para ser utilizado em serviços de reabilitação.

Neurological soft signs (NSS) and cognitive deficits in HIV associated neurocognitive disorder

Neurological soft signs (NSS) are frequently found in severe mental disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia or HIV associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) which includes asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment (ANI), mild neurocognitive disorder (MND) and HIV-associated dementia. To characterize NSS in patients with HIV we examined them with respect to neuropsychological deficits typically found in the disorder.67 HIV + patients without a history of head trauma, opportunistic infections, severe psychiatric disorders or acute confounding comorbidities of the Central nervous system (CNS) were recruited. NSS and neuropsychological deficits were examined on the Heidelberg scale and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), respectively. Semantic and phonemic verbal fluency were additionally established.According to NIMH and NINDS criteria, 18 patients were diagnosed with ANI and 21 with MND, 28 showed no cognitive deficits. NSS total scores were significantly correlated with several cognitive domains and NSS subscales. These correlations were confirmed when motor performance was entered as a covariate.According to our findings, NSS in HIV positive patients are significantly correlated with deficits in a broad range of neuropsychological domains. Similar findings were reported in schizophrenia, emphasizing the transdiagnostic character of NSS and supporting NSS examination in screening HIV patients for HAND.

Neurological soft signs and cognition in the late course of chronic schizophrenia: a longitudinal study

Neurological soft signs (NSS) are minor (‘soft’) neurological abnormalities in sensory and motor performances, which are frequently reported in patients with schizophrenia at any stage of their illness. It has been demonstrated that NSS vary in the clinical course of the disorder: longitudinally NSS decrease in parallel with remission of psychopathological symptoms, an effect which mainly applies to patients with a remitting course. These findings are primarily based on patients with a first episode of the disorder, while the course of NSS in patients with chronic schizophrenia and persisting symptoms is rather unknown. Therefore, we investigated NSS twice in 21 patients with chronic schizophrenia (initial mean duration of illness: 23 ± 11 years) with a mean follow-up interval of 7 years. NSS were evaluated by the Heidelberg Scale, established instruments were used to rate neuropsychological performance and psychopathological symptoms. NSS showed significant increases on the subscales “motor coordination” and “integrative functions”, while positive and negative symptoms, including apathy, showed only minor, non-significant changes. Verbal memory, verbal fluency, and cognitive flexibility along with severity of global cognitive deficits demonstrated a significant deterioration. Regression analyses identified executive dysfunction (cognitive flexibility and verbal fluency) at baseline as significant predictors of NSS increase at follow-up. Our findings indicate that NSS deteriorate in the long-term course of chronic schizophrenia. This effect may be accounted for by a decrease of executive functions and logical memory, which can be attributed to premature brain aging.

Neurological soft signs (NSS) and brain morphology in patients with chronic schizophrenia and healthy controls.

Subtle abnormalities in sensory integration, motor coordination and sequencing of complex motor acts or neurological soft signs (NSS) are characteristic phenomena in patients with schizophrenia at any stage of the illness. Previous MRI studies in schizophrenia found NSS to be associated with cortical, thalamic and cerebellar changes. Since these studies mainly focused on first-episode or recent onset schizophrenia, the cerebral correlates of NSS in chronic schizophrenia remained rather unclear. 49 middle-aged patients with chronic schizophrenia with a mean duration of illness of 20.3 ± 14.0 years and 29 healthy subjects matched for age and sex were included. NSS were examined on the Heidelberg Scale and correlated to grey matter (GM) by using whole brain high resolution magnetic resonance imaging (3 Tesla) with SPM12/CAT12 analyses. As expected, NSS in patients were significantly (p≤0.001) elevated in contrast to healthy controls, a finding, which not only applied to NSS total score, but also to the respective subscales “motor coordination”, “sensory integration”, “complex motor tasks”, “right/left and spatial orientation” and “hard signs”. Within the patient group NSS total scores were significantly correlated to reduced GM in right lingual gyrus, left parahippocampal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, left thalamus (medial dorsal nucleus) and left posterior lobe of the cerebellum (declive). Respective negative associations could also be revealed for the subscales “motor coordination”, “complex motor tasks” and “right/left and spatial orientation”. These findings remained significant after FWE-correction for multiple comparisons and were confirmed when years of education, chlorpromazine-equivalents or variables indicating the severity of psychopathology were introduced as additional covariates. According to our results lingual, parahippocampal, superior temporal, inferior and middle frontal gyri, thalamus and cerebellum have to be considered as important sites of NSS in chronic schizophrenia. That these findings only applied for patients but not healthy controls may indicate a different pathogenesis of NSS.

A Comparative Study of Neurological Soft Signs in Patients of Schizophrenia and Obcessive Compulsive Disorder

A Comparative Study of Neurological Soft Signs in Patients of Schizophrenia and Obcessive Compulsive Disorder

Neurological Soft Signs in Patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Aged 6 to 18 Years Old at a University Hospital: A Cross-sectional Study

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children persisting into adulthood. Evidence suggests that the condition is etiologically related to delayed brain maturation. The detection of the presence of neurological soft signs can be a means to assess neuromaturation. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of neurological soft signs in ADHD patients and determine any correlation between the presence of neurological soft signs with age, gender, severity and type of ADHD which could give further insights into this disorder.

Neurological soft signs (NSS) and cognitive impairment in chronic schizophrenia

Recent studies indicate that neurological soft signs (NSS) in schizophrenia are associated with generalized cognitive impairments rather than changes in specific neuropsychological domains. However, the majority of studies solely included first-episode patients or patients with a remitting course and did not consider age, course, education or severity of global cognitive deficits as potential confounding variables. Therefore, we examined NSS with respect to cognitive deficits in chronic schizophrenia, i.e. patients who are particularly vulnerable to both, NSS and cognitive impairments.Eighty patients with chronic schizophrenia (43.36 ± 15a) and 60 healthy controls (47.52 ± 14.8a) matched for age, sex and years of education were examined on the Heidelberg NSS scale and a broad neuropsychological battery including short term, working, logical and autobiographic memory (AM), theory of mind (ToM), psychomotor speed and cognitive flexibility.When contrasted with the controls, patients showed significantly higher NSS scores and impairments in all neuropsychological domains but short-term memory. NSS were significantly associated with all neuropsychological domains considered but short-term memory and semantic AM. Except for episodic AM (which was significantly correlated with NSS in patients only) these correlations applied to both groups and were confirmed when age, years of education and severity of global cognitive deficits (Mini Mental State Examination) were controlled for.Results demonstrate that NSS reflect a rather wide range of cognitive impairments in schizophrenia, which also involves episodic AM and ToM. These associations were not accounted for by age, education or severity of global cognitive deficits and facilitate the clinical usage of NSS as a screening instrument.

F175. NEUROLOGICAL SOFT SIGNS (NSS) AND BRAIN MORPHOLOGY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC SCHIZOPHRENIA AND HEALTHY CONTROLS

BackgroundSubtle abnormalities in sensory integration, motor coordination and sequencing of complex motor acts or neurological soft signs (NSS) are a characteristic phenomenon in patients with schizophrenia at any stage of the illness. Previous MRI studies in schizophrenia have shown that NSS are associated with abnormal cortical, thalamic and cerebellar structure. However, these studies mainly focused on first-episode or recent onset schizophrenia and the respective correlates between brain structure and NSS in patients with a chronic course of the disorder remain rather unclear.Methods49 middle-aged patients with chronic schizophrenia with a mean duration of illness of 20.3 ± 14.0 years and 29 healthy subjects matched for age and sex were included. NSS were examined on the Heidelberg Scale and correlated to grey matter by using whole brain high resolution magnetic resonance imaging (3 Tesla) with SPM12 analyses.ResultsAs expected, NSS in patients were significantly elevated in contrast to healthy controls, a finding, which not only applied to NSS sumscore, but also to the respective subscores motor coordination, sensory integration, complex motor tasks, right/left and spatial orientation and hard signs (p≤0.001).Patients and healthy controls differed referring to right inferior frontal gyrus and left parahippocampal gyrus, with patients showing significantly reduced gray matter volumes, respectively. Within the patient group NSS total score was significantly correlated to reduced grey matter in right occipital lobe, left parahippocampal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, left thalamus (medial dorsal nucleus) and left posterior lobe of the cerebellum (declive). The respective findings remained significant after FDR correction for multiple comparisons (k=100 voxels). These results were confirmed when chlorpromazine (CPZ)-equivalents were introduced as additional covariate; moreover, no significant correlates arose between NSS and CPZ-equivalents. In the control group, VBM revealed that higher NSS total scores were significantly correlated with volume of right lentiform nucleus (medial globus pallidus).DiscussionOur study leads further support to the model of ‘cognitive dysmetria’ with a disrupted cortico-cerebellar-thalamic-cortical circuit in schizophrenia. This interpretation is also maintained by a different correlational pattern in our control group. Furthermore, the middle temporal/parahippocampal region may correspond to reduced mnestic functions, which are – besides elevated NSS – consistently reported to be impaired in patients with a chronic course of the disorder.

Neurological Soft Signs and Psychopathology in Chronic Schizophrenia: A Cross-Sectional Study in Three Age Groups.

As established in a wealth of studies subtle motor and sensory neurological abnormalities or neurological soft signs (NSS) are frequently found in patients with schizophrenia at any stage of their illness. However, the potential impact of chronicity and age on NSS was scarcely investigated. Therefore, we assessed NSS in 90 patients with subchronic (n = 22) or chronic (n = 68) schizophrenia and in 60 healthy controls who were assigned to three age groups (18–29, 30–49, and +50 years). NSS were measured on the Heidelberg Scale, psychopathological symptoms including apathy were rated on established instruments. As demonstrated by analysis of variance, NSS scores in patients were significantly (p < 0.05) increased relative to healthy controls. Significant age effects arose in all NSS subscores, with older subjects scoring well above the younger ones. These age effects were more pronounced in patients than controls, indicating that NSS in chronic schizophrenia exceed age-associated changes. Moreover, the NSS scores in patients were significantly associated with duration of illness, thought disturbance, positive symptoms, and apathy. These results were confirmed after age/duration of illness and years of education were partialed out and via regression analyses. Our findings conform to the hypothesis that NSS are associated with chronicity of the disorder as indicated by the correlations of NSS with both, duration of illness and apathy. The correlations between NSS and positive symptoms/thought disturbance correspond to the fluctuation of positive symptoms during the course of the disorder. The significantly more pronounced age effects on NSS in patients may either point to ongoing cerebral changes or to a greater susceptibility of patients toward physiological age effects, which may be mediated among other factors by a lower cognitive reserve.

Neurological soft signs in bipolar and unipolar disorder: A case-control study

Neuropsychiatric disorders are associated with neurological soft signs (NSS), including motor, sensory, and inhibitory dysfunction. The present study aims at determining the prevalence of NSS and explore the association of sociodemographic characteristics with the occurrence of NSS in patients with bipolar disorder and unipolar depression compared to healthy controls. A case-control study included a sample of 50 bipolar and unipolar patients and 50 healthy controls. NSS subscales of the Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) were administered to each participant. Significant differences were found in the total NES score, motor coordination, sensory integration, sequence of complex motor act and other subscales among the three groups. Compared with healthy controls, patients with bipolar disorder showed significantly more total NSS signs, motor coordination signs and sensory-integration signs. When compared with patients with unipolar disorder, patients with bipolar disorder showed significantly more sensory integration signs and a trend of difference in the sequencing of complex motor acts and other subscales. Our findings suggest that NSS may be specifically associated with bipolar disorder but not unipolar depression. The specificity of NSS expression has the potential to help the discrimination of bipolar disorder from disorders less likely to have a neurodevelopmental component such as major depression.

Schizotypality and neurological soft signs in patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVES: The broad description of schizotypy includes cognitive, sensitive, and information processing deficits connected with thought disorder symptoms. Recently, the term of schizotypy has started to be researched, not only in schizophrenia patients and their relatives but also in other psychiatric populations. Neurological soft signs (NSS) are known as abnormal motor or sensorial findings in the absence of a localized neurological disorder. There are some studies referring to the association between obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and NSS, and vice versa. In this study, we aimed to examine the differences between OCD patients and healthy control groups in terms of schizotypality and NSS. We also aimed to predict risk factors affecting OCD patients with schizotypal features.METHODS: Overall, 92 OCD patients and 91 healthy controls were included in this study. Chapman’s Scales (Physical and Social Anhedonia Scales, Perceptual Aberration Scale, and Magical Ideation Scale) and Schizotypal Pe...

A qualititative study of neurological soft signs in obsessive compulsive disorder and effect of comorbid psychotic spectrum disorders and familiality on its expression in Indian population.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, with lifetime prevalence of 2%-3% and is known to lie on a spectrum continuous with Schizophrenia and other affective psychosis. Neurological Soft Signs (NSS) have been reported to be higher in both Schizophrenia and affective psychosis, like bipolar disorder, and their first degree relatives but in OCD, the results have been inconsistent. It remains unclear if NSS occur at even higher rates in individuals who have a co-morbidity for OCD and either schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, as it might be expected if a broader neurodevelopmental hit underlies the pathophysiology of both OCD and these disorders. To assess and compare NSS in patients of OCD, OCD with Psychotic spectrum disorders (OCD-PSD), first degree relatives of OCD (FDR of OCD) and healthy controls. 90 subjects each were recruited in four groups- OCD, OCD-PSD, FDR of OCD and healthy controls, as per the pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria for each group. Diagnosis was made as per ICD-10 criteria and Cambridge Neurological Inventory, Part-2 was applied. This study found statistically significant difference between the severity of NSS among these groups. There was also a significant difference in presence of NSS in OCD with PSD group and OCD group. A greater abnormality of NSS in FDR of OCD compared to healthy controls was found. This difference in proportions and severity of NSS between groups points towards an underlying common neurobiological and etiopathological underpinning between OCD with and without comorbid PSDs and their first degree relatives.

Mild neurological impairment may indicate a psychomotor endophenotype in patients with borderline personality disorder.

The aim of the present study was to determine whether patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) show any neurological soft signs compared to healthy controls. Furthermore we sought to examine the role of common symptoms related to BPD, such as depression, anxiety or impulsivity, in association with neurological soft signs. Thirty patients with borderline personality disorder and thirty hospital-based controls were examined for neurological soft signs. The total score of neurological soft signs in BPD was significantly higher than controls. In terms of subscales, patients had higher scores in Sensory Integration and Motor Coordination and other neurological soft signs compared to control group. Multiple regression analysis showed that the impulsivity score was the best significant predictor of neurological soft signs in BPD. The increase of neurological soft signs in patients with BPD may address a non-focal neurological dysfunction in borderline personality disorder.

A clinical study of neurological soft signs in patients with schizophrenia.

Background and Aim:Neurological soft signs (NSSs) are “objectively measured, nonlocalizing abnormalities, not related to impairment of a specific brain region, reflecting improper cortical-subcortical and intercortical connections.” The possibility of NSS as an endophenotype in schizophrenia has been studied across the globe. We aimed at finding the prevalence of NSS among patients with schizophrenia as well as the associations of NSS between various sociodemographic and illness variables.Subjects and Methods:One hundred patients between the age group of 16 and 60 years were serially selected from the inpatient department of a tertiary care hospital who have been diagnosed as a case of schizophrenia according to the International Classification of Diseases version 10 during 1 year period. A semi-structured pro forma was used to collect various demographic as well as illness data, and subjects were clinically evaluated for NSS using neurological evaluation scale.Results:The prevalence of NSSs was found to be 67%, significant association was found between NSS and age, occupation, and duration of illness. A statistically significant correlation was found between NSS and age, NSS and duration of illness.Conclusion:The validity of NSS as an endophenotype lies in the fact that it should be independent of all sociodemographic and illness variables. However, our study evaluated some statistically significant findings between them. Hence, further researches are required with properly adjusted controls to find if the associations obtained between NSS and different variables here are true or whether there are some confounding factors included.

Neurological soft signs in patients with schizophrenia: current knowledge and future perspectives in the post-genomics era

Neurological soft signs (NSS), minor and subtle neurological abnormalities in sensory integration and motor performance that are not part of a properly defined neurological syndrome, have been consistently observed in patients with schizophrenia. The prevalence estimates of NSS in patients with schizophrenia have been reported to be higher than in healthy subjects. Current evidence suggests that NSS are an integral part of the disease and cannot be fully explained by the exposure to antipsychotic medication, as they are already present in treatment-naive patients. NSS have been associated with cardinal features of the disorder such as cognitive impairment, psychopathological severity, or functional outcome. The increased prevalence of NSS and/or related motor precursors has been described at different stages of development (infancy, childhood, adolescence) in those subjects who later developed schizophrenia. Evidence from family and twin studies indicates that genetic factors play an important role in the emergence of NSS, and some authors have already suggested that such neurological anomalies are suitable endophenotypes for schizophrenia. Some genetic association studies based on a candidate gene approach have already reported the association of genetic variants with the severity of NSS. This non-systematic review describes the potential relevance of NSS 1) in the understanding of schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental disorder, 2) as outcome predictors, 3) as biological markers during several stages of development, and 4) as a candidate (endo)phenotype for genetic analyses. Likewise, the possibilities afforded by the advances in high-throughput techniques in genomic analysis are also discussed. Keywords: genome-wide association studies; motor function; sensory integration; endophenotype (Published: 8 July 2016) Citation: Translational Developmental Psychiatry 2016, 4 : 30071 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/tdp.v4.30071