Does affective blunting in schizophrenia reflect affective deficit or neuromotor dysfunction?

Schizophr Res. 1996 Jul 5;20(3):301-6. doi: 10.1016/0920-9964(96)00011-4.

Abstract

Schizophrenia inpatients withdrawn from all neuroleptic medication were administered measures of affective blunting, diminished affective experience, and neuromotor dysfunction. The correlations among the measures provided support for the hypothesis that measures of affective blunting reflect both neuromotor and affective deficits. Because the interpretation of such measures is therefore ambiguous, measures of diminished affective experience may have greater validity in research on affective deficits in schizophrenia than measures of blunted affective expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Affective Symptoms / diagnosis*
  • Affective Symptoms / psychology
  • Arousal
  • Facial Expression
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Psychomotor Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Psychomotor Disorders / psychology
  • Schizophrenia / diagnosis*
  • Schizophrenic Psychology*