[Neurological soft signs and schizophrenia: a review of current knowledge].

Schizophrenia is a frequent and disabling disorder emerging during adolescence or early adulthood. The identification of underlying processes has been hampered by the complex clinical expression and the probable etiological heterogeneity. The frequency of neurological soft signs (NSS) in patients with schizophrenia and their presence early in life (during the first two years) in high risk subjects support the hypothesis that schizophrenia is a "brain disease" reflecting pre- or perinatal insults during development. The growing interest for NSS has lead to multiple studies that are often difficult to compare. The objective of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on NSS, methodological issues and the future perspectives.