Kinematic analysis of facial behaviour in patients with schizophrenia under emotional stimulation by films with "Mr. Bean"

Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2008 Apr;258(3):186-91. doi: 10.1007/s00406-007-0778-3.

Abstract

In schizophrenic patients, motor functioning is substantially disturbed. Kinematic analysis is useful in examining this motor dysfunction. Using kinematic analysis, we aimed to investigate facial movement in schizophrenic patients responding to humorous film stimuli ("Mr. Bean"). Ultrasound markers were attached to pre-defined facial points while subjects watched a funny film sketch. The study included 21 schizophrenic in-patients (13 men, 8 women; mean (S.D.) age: 32.1 (10.4) years) and 30 healthy individuals (12 men, 18 women; mean (S.D.) age: 35.7 (11.0) years). Unmedicated schizophrenic patients showed an abnormally high initial velocity of laughing (IV), while patients treated with typical neuroleptics demonstrated an abnormally low IV. There was a significant positive correlation between severity of negative symptoms and IV. Kinematical analysis of facial movement using IV could help to distinguish subclinical Parkinsonian syndromes induced by typical neuroleptics from negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Affective Symptoms / drug therapy
  • Affective Symptoms / physiopathology
  • Affective Symptoms / psychology*
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Emotions / physiology*
  • Facial Expression*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Laughter / physiology
  • Laughter / psychology*
  • Male
  • Motion Pictures
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Reference Values
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy*
  • Schizophrenia / physiopathology
  • Schizophrenic Psychology*

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents