Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry

Objectives：High nailfold plexus visibility can reflect central nervous system defects as an etiologic factor of schizophrenia indirectly. Previous studies suggest that this visibility is particularly related to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia and frontal lobe deficiency. In this study, we examined the relationships between nailfold plexus visibility, and various clinical variables and neuropsychological functions in schizophrenic patients. 

Methods：Forty patients(21males, 19 females) satisfying the DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia and thirty eight normal controls(20 males, 18 females) were measured for Plexus Visualization Score(PVS) by using the capillary microscopic examination. For the assessment of psychopathology, process-reactivity, premorbid adjustment, and neuropsychological functions, we used Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS), Ullmann-Giovannoni Process-Reactive Questionnaire(PRQ), Phillips Premorbid Adjustment Scale(PAS), Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale(KWIS), Continuous Performance Test(CPT), Wisconsin Card Sort Test(WCST), and Word Fluency Test. We also collected data about clinical variables. 

Results：PVS was correlated with PANSS positive symptom score and composite score negatively. There were no correlations between PVS and PRQ score, PAS score and neuropsychological variables respectively. 

Conclusions：This study showed that nailfold plexus visibility was a characteristic feature in some schizophrenic patients, and that higher plexus visibility was associated with the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. There was no association between plexus visibility and neuropsychological functions.

Keywords Schizophrenia;Nailfold plexus visibility;Negative symptoms;Neuropsychological function.