Minor physical anomalies are more common in schizophrenia patients with the history of homicide

Abstract

Minor physical anomalies may be external markers of abnormal brain development, so the more common appearance of these signs in homicidal schizophrenia might suggest the possibility of a more seriously aberrant neurodevelopment in this subgroup. The aim of the present study was to investigate the rate and topological profile of minor physical anomalies in patients with schizophrenia with the history of committed or attempted homicide comparing them to patients with schizophrenia without homicide in their history and to normal control subjects. Using a list of 57 minor physical anomalies, 44 patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia were examined with the history of committed or attempted homicide, as a comparison 22 patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia without the history of any kind of homicide and violence and 21 normal control subjects were examined. Minor physical anomalies are more common in homicidal schizophrenia patients compared to non-homicidal schizophrenia patients and normal controls, which could support a stronger neurodevelopmental component of etiology in this subgroup of schizophrenia. The higher rate of minor physical anomalies found predominantly in the head and mouth regions in homicidal schizophrenia patients might suggest the possibility of a more seriously aberrant brain development in the case of homicidal schizophrenia.

Keywords: Aggression; Neurodevelopment; Psychotic disorders; Somatic markers; Violence.