minor physical anomalies and cognitive correlates in schizophrenia patients and their first degree relatives

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between minor physical anomalies and cognitive functions in schizophrenic patients and their first degree relatives in comparison with healthy controls. Method: This descriptive and cross sectional study was performed at the psychiatric inpatient unit of the Akdeniz University Hospital. 50 patients diagnosed with Schizophrenia according to DSM-V diagnostic criteria without alcohol and substance using disorder were included in this study. The other two study groups were the first-degree-relative group and age and sex matched psychiatrically healthy control group. Both groups also consisted of 50 volunteers. All participants were given a Socio-demographic Data Form designed by the researchers which was in question-answer format and performed in a face-to-face fashion, together a structured scale for detection of Minor physical anomalies, The Stroop test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale was applied only to the patient group. Data was analyzed using "SPSS 22.0" program. Results: In schizophrenia and first degree relatives, mouth anomalies (heightened tongue) were observed more frequently than controls. In patients with schizophrenia, ear anomalies (especially ear asymmetry) were significantly more common than first-degree relatives and controls. A statistically significant relationship was found between the ear anomalies and the Stroop test in patients with schizophrenia, and this relationship was not found in other groups. There was a significant positive correlation between MPAs in extremity region and the number of errors in the S3 Stroop test in patients with schizophrenia. There was a significant negative correlation between MPAs in mouth region and S1 Stroop test score and S3 Stroop test error in first degree relatives. In the controls, there was a significant positive correlation between MPAs in mouth region and S5 Stroop test score, S5, S3 Stroop test error number. Conclusion: As a result, ear anomalies were higher in the patient group than controls and mouth anomalies were higher in patients and their relatives than controls. This may indicate that the MFA may be related to the schizophrenia disease, based on a genetic basis. Our second important finding is that there is a significant relationship between ear anomalies and Stroop test in patients with schizophrenia. This suggests that we have at least a common neurodevelopmental pathway in some of the patients in terms of minor physical anomalies and schizophrenia.