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Abstract
Primitive (developmental) reflexes are present in fetal and infant life, but disappear
in adulthood. Their elicitation in later life usually occurs in association with cortical
or diffuse cerebral dysfunction and suggests a new approach to the issue of whether
tardive dyskinesia is particularly likely to occur in patients with organic brain
disorder(s). Sixtysix patients with schizophrenia (age range 50–86) and 18 with bipolar
affective disorder (age range 40–77) were assessed for the presence of involuntary
movements and for the release of the grasp, palmomental, snout, corneomandibular,
and glabellar reflexes. In each diagnostic group, patients with involuntary movements
showed a significant excess of primitive reflexes in comparison with otherwise indistinguishable
patients without such movements. These results complement recent reports that similar
patients with involuntary movements also show greater cognitive impairment and point
anew to an association between the presence of tardive dyskinesia and of organic brain
dysfunction. They raise again the issue of whether or not such dysfunction may be
a consequence of neurodevelopmental abnormality rather than of neurodegenerative processes.
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Article info
Publication history
Received in revised form:
August 13,
1987
Received:
June 25,
1987
Footnotes
☆Supported in part by the Medical Research Council of Ireland and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Identification
Copyright
© 1988 Published by Elsevier Inc.
