Dimensional characteristics of persistent negative symptoms in schizophrenia and their relationships with schizotypy in first-degree relatives

Abstract

Purpose of the article

Schizophrenia with persistent negative symptoms (PNS) may have different characteristics regarding negative symptom dimensions and heritability patterns. This study aimed to investigate the dimensional characteristics of PNS and their relationships with schizotypal features in first-degree relatives (FDRs).

Materials and methods

The study included 142 patients, 142 FDRs, and 71 healthy controls (HC). Patients were evaluated with the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS), Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), and Simpson-Angus Scale (SAS). Schizotypy Personality Questionnaire was applied to FDR and HC groups. Clinical symptoms were compared between primary-PNS, secondary-PNS, and non-PNS groups. In addition, schizotypy scores were compared between FDRs and HCs. Then, the relationship between the symptoms of the patients in the PNS group and the schizotypy scores of their relatives was evaluated by multiple regression analysis.

Results

All negative symptom dimension scores were similar in primary-PNS and secondary-PNS and lowest in non-PNS. PNS-FDR had higher in all schizotypy scores than non-PNS-FDR and HC, except for lack of close friends and social anxiety. In the PNS group, positive symptom severity and PANSS experiential deficit scores significantly predicted positive and negative schizotypy scores in relatives. Negative schizotypy was associated with asociality.

Conclusions

The PNS is likely a subtype in which the genetic basis of negative symptoms is stronger and is associated with genetic abnormalities shared by positive and negative schizotypy dimensions in relatives. Family-based genetic studies will be beneficial in enlightening the genetic etiology of PNS.

Keywords:

• Persistent negative symptoms
• positive schizotypy
• negative schizotypy
• first-degree relatives
• schizophrenia

Disclosure statement

The authors reported no potential conflict of interest.

Data availability statement

The data supporting this study’s findings are available from the corresponding author, E.M., upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Cengiz Cengisiz

Cengiz Cengisiz is psychiatry specialist at Manisa Community Mental Health Center. His research focuses on substance-use disorders and psychotic disorders.

Emre Misir

Emre Misir is psychiatry specialist at Deparment of Psychiatry in Baskent University. At the same time he is a doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience doctoral program at Ankara University. His research focuses schizophrenia, cognitive linguistics and depressive disorders.