Genetic Influence on Laterality in Schizophrenia? A Twin Study of Neurological Soft Signs

Niethammer, Rainer; Weisbrod, Matthias; Schiesser, Steffi; Grothe, Jo; Maier, Sabine; Peter, Uta; Kaufmann, Claudia; Schröder, Johannes; Sauer, Heinrich

doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.157.2.272

Cited by 64 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…For example, Angrilli et al (2009) and Spironelli et al (2008) proposed a neuropsychological link between reduced language lateralization and the psychopathology of schizophrenia. Moreover, reduced laterality is a target for both twin (Niethammer et al, 2000) and molecular genetics (e.g., Leonard et al, 2006;Francks et al, 2007;Crow et al, 2009) studies and for animal models of schizophrenia (Morice et al, 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced Laterality as a Trait Marker ofSchizophrenia—Evidence from Structural and Functional Neuroimaging

Oertel¹,

Knöchel²,

Rotarska-Jagiela³

et al. 2010

J. Neurosci.

119

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Laterality is a characteristic principle of the organization of the brain systems for language, and reduced hemispheric asymmetry has been considered a risk factor for schizophrenia. Here we sought support for the risk factor hypothesis by investigating whether reduced asymmetry of temporal lobe structure and function is also present in unaffected relatives. Sixteen schizophrenia patients, 16 age-matched first-degree relatives, and 15 healthy controls underwent high-resolution three-dimensional anatomical imaging and functional magnetic resonance imaging during auditory stimulation. Both the overall auditory cortex and planum temporale volumes and the lateralization to the left hemisphere were markedly reduced in patients. The decrease of lateralization correlated with increased severity of symptoms. In addition, both the overall functional activation in response to auditory stimulation and its asymmetry were reduced in the patients. Relatives had intermediate values between patients and controls on both structural and functional measures. This study provides added support for the idea that reduced hemispheric asymmetry is a biological risk factor for schizophrenia.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced Laterality as a Trait Marker ofSchizophrenia—Evidence from Structural and Functional Neuroimaging

Oertel¹,

Knöchel²,

Rotarska-Jagiela³

et al. 2010

J. Neurosci.

119

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For neurological soft signs, twins data from limited western samples suggest that schizophrenia and neurological soft signs share genetic influences but indicate that the genetic overlap between schizophrenia and neurological soft signs is not very substantial [39][40][41]. However, these findings might have been limited by the small number of twin studies and the corresponding small sample sizes.…”

Section: Illustration Of Neurological Soft Signs As An Example From Cmentioning

confidence: 99%

Consortium for the Human Information and Neurocognitive Endophenotype (CHINE) in mainland China: An example from neurological soft signs for neuropsychiatric disorders

Chan

2011

Chin. Sci. Bull.

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Increasing efforts to identify alternate expressions of neuropsychiatric disorders that are broader than the DSM or ICD diagnostic criteria needed to diagnose them reflects a growing consensus that multidimensional expressions of neuropsychiatric disorders may advance the search for underlying etiological or modulatory factors. Endophenotypic research can be considered to be one of the most promising strategies to bridge the gap between genomic complexity and the phenotypic heterogeneity observed in neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the majority of endophenotype studies were limited to our western counterparts, very little has been done and initiated by scholars in mainland China. In this paper, we urge the need to establish a potential central consortium for endophenotypes to study neuropsychiatric disorders in mainland China. In particular, we illustrate a potential example of neurological soft signs in following the steps for building the consortium. endophenotypes, neurological soft signs, neuropsychiatric disorders, mental health, China Citation:Chan R C K. Consortium for the Human Information and Neurocognitive Endophenotype (CHINE) in mainland China: An example from neurological soft signs for neuropsychiatric disorders.This strategic paper argues the need for establishing a central consortium for the endophenotype approach for neuropsychiatric disorders in mainland China. We start with a brief introduction to endophenotypes, what is known about the concept of endophenotypes, and then to illustrate the claim that endophenotypes are more important than traditional genetic approach of studying neuropsychiatric disorders. This is not our intention to provide a comprehensive review of all endophenotypes employed in neuropsychiatric disorders in this strategic paper because there are several systematic reviews on this aspect [1][2][3][4]. However, we would illustrate an example of a promising endophenotype, neurological soft signs, in detailing the steps for building the consortium.

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“…The notion that neurological soft signs have genetic origins arose from the observation that they are present in non-psychotic family members of patients with schizophrenia (Ismail et al, 1998a,b;Niethammer et al, 2000;Meehl, 1990;Lenzenweger, 2006). It is difficult to reconcile this observation with an environmental cause because family members differ from the general population primarily in their risk for schizophrenia, which has no appreciable shared familial, environmental component (Cannon et al, 1998).…”

Section: Criterion 2: Heritabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurological soft signs as candidate endophenotypes for schizophrenia: A shooting star or a Northern star?

Chan

Gottesman

2008

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

186

133

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Genetic Influence on Laterality in Schizophrenia? A Twin Study of Neurological Soft Signs

Abstract: These results suggest that the occurrence of neurological soft signs and, more specifically, their lateralization to the left body half are genetically transmitted.

Cited by 64 publications

References 12 publications

Reduced Laterality as a Trait Marker ofSchizophrenia—Evidence from Structural and Functional Neuroimaging

Reduced Laterality as a Trait Marker ofSchizophrenia—Evidence from Structural and Functional Neuroimaging

Consortium for the Human Information and Neurocognitive Endophenotype (CHINE) in mainland China: An example from neurological soft signs for neuropsychiatric disorders

Neurological soft signs as candidate endophenotypes for schizophrenia: A shooting star or a Northern star?

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