Ventricular abnormalities, neurological soft signs and psychiatric disorders

The study focused relationships between (1) CT pathology, mostly ventricular asymmetry or ventricular enlargement suggestive of a pre- or perinatal CNS lesion (PPL), (2) neurological soft signs (NSS), and (3) psychiatric disorders. A psychiatric patient group with CT pathology (n = 28; PPL) was compared with a group of age- and sexmatched psychiatric patients with normal CT (n = 28; NCT). All patients had psychiatric assessment, NSS were examined. Mean NSS sum scores were not different (PPL vs NCT); high NSS scores were found in PPL subgroups (ventricular enlargement plus cortical atrophy; infratentorial atrophy). Global clinical state (CGI, GAS) did not discriminate between PPL and NCT groups, the proportions oi symptomatic patients (BRPS and SANS) were not different. There were no significant NSS differences between diagnostic groups. In the PPL group there was a trend for a higher proportion of psychoses; cycloid psychoses were significantly more frequent in the PPL group. Unspecific developmental CT pathology may be associated with cycloid psychoses or a subgroup of cycloid psychoses.