Abnormal involuntary movements and chronic schizophrenic disorders

We hypothesized that chronic schizophrenic patients with abnormal involuntary movements would exhibit specific psychopathological, neurological, and cognitive disturbances at a more severe level than those free of such movements. Twenty-two chronic schizophrenic patients were assessed for abnormal movements, cognitive impairmement, psychopathology, and medication history. Unequivocal evidence of movements abnormality on the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale divided the subjects into groups with (n = 13) and without (n = 9) involuntary movement anomaly. Age, education, length of illness, depressive symptoms, total symptom ratings, and medication variables did not differ in the two groups. However, the group with involuntary movements had more negative symptomatology, greater impairment on voluntary motor tasks, lower premorbid intelligence, and a trend toward poorer recall on mental status examination. These results demonstrate that schizophrenic patients with abnormal involuntary movements have more severe psychopathology as reflected in certain defect symptoms, more abnormal voluntary movements, and more cognitive impairment than schizophrenic patients without involuntary movements.