Neurological abnormalities in schizophrenia: clinical, etiological and demographic correlates.

An increased rate of neurological abnormality (NA) is typically observed in samples of schizophrenic patients, but the origin and relevance of the NA remain unclear. To investigate this further, relationships were studied between the patient's degree of NA and a range of clinical, putative etiological and demographic characteristics among 60 patients with schizophrenia who had previously been shown to have an elevated rate of NA. No significant relationships were found between NA and demographic, etiological or most clinical history characteristics, including past and current neuroleptic exposure. However, an increased rate of NA was significantly related to current poor global functioning. In total, the findings suggest that NA may represent one manifestation of an early and rather stable disease process, with an additional fluctuating clinically related component.