Physical examination. 17: neurological examination.
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Although neurological soft signs (NSS) have been consistently reported in patients with schizophrenia, their clinical relevance, the actual impact of treatment or their evolution during the disease are not well clarified, possibly because of methodological limitations of the available tools. We have developed a new standardized examination integrating the assessment of 23 NSS selected from the literature and the rating of well-validated scales for assessment of extra-pyramidal symptoms. We examined 161 subjects (controls, n=48; patients with schizophrenia, n=95; or recurrent mood disorder, n=18). Half of the patients were neuroleptic-free. Schizophrenic patients had significantly higher total score (14. 6+/-8) than mood disorder patients (12.0+/-7) and controls (5.0+/-2). Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.85) and inter-rater reliability were good. Principal component analysis found five consistent factors ('motor coordination', 'motor integrative function', 'sensory integration', 'involuntary movements or posture', 'quality of lateralization'). This scale thus confirmed a factorial structure in agreement with the conceptual areas of interest explored by NSS and should be a useful tool for assessment of the different dimensions of neurological dysfunction in schizophrenia.
Functional Neurologic Assessment and treatment methods common to the practice of applied kinesiology are presented. These methods are proposed to enhance neurological examination and treatment procedures toward more effective assessment and care of functional impairment. A neurologic model for these procedures is proposed. Manual assessment of muscular function is used to identify changes associated with facilitation and inhibition, in response to the introduction of sensory receptor-based stimuli. Muscle testing responses to sensory stimulation of known value are compared with usually predictable patterns based on known neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, guiding the clinician to an understanding of the functional status of the patient's nervous system. These assessment procedures are used in addition to other standard diagnostic measures to augment rather than replace the existing diagnostic armamentarium. The proper understanding of the neurophysiologic basis of muscle testing procedures will assist in the design of further investigations into applied kinesiology. Accordingly, the neurophysiologic basis and proposed mechanisms of these methods are reviewed.
One hundred clinically negative Merino sheep were examined neurologically in an attempt to establish normal responses. Dependable results were obtained regarding eye muscle integrity, corneal sensitivity, the optic papilla and righting reflexes and to some extent the knee jerk reflex. The elicitation of other reflexes was inconsistent and unreliable except the placing reflex as shown by raising and lowering the forequarters.
We describe the construction of a scored form for the neurological examination of the full-term neonate. Extensive data analyses were obtained from a large sample of neonatal neurological examinations performed by one examiner (MSP). Examinations were used from neonates with ages less than or equal to 48 hours (n = 727) and 72 hours to 1 week (n = 510) with gestational ages greater than or equal to 37 weeks. Forty-four items from several neonatal assessments were used in these neurological examinations. Further subdivision yielded a total of 65 items. Correlations were obtained for the 65 items. We factored the matrix of these correlations, using several solutions of factor analysis. Thirty-two items were thus grouped and pruned into seven dimensions (factors) to provide a scorable neonatal neurological examination (Neoneuro) with an internal consistency or reliability of 0.80. From the total scores, cut points are recommended for categories of normality/abnormality: normal, mildly abnormal, moderately abnormal, and severely abnormal. This scoring system is well-based both theoretically and psychometrically. The quantified computer-compatible scoring system permits evaluation of individual neonates, as well as comparison of samples of neonates on item scores, subscores (factor scores), and total scores. Such quantification will permit documentation of the natural history of specific abnormalities and the evaluation of various therapies.
302 primarily healthy preparatory school children aged from 4-6 years were examined neurologically, using a slightly modified Touwen-Prechtl examination scheme. It was possible to make statistically confirmed statements on the individual tests of neurological function for a German kindergarten population. To develop a short (screening) test representative of the entire nervous system would be very difficult indeed. We hope, however, by means of rational data reduction, to be able to find a compromise between the complexity of the nervous system and the necessities of practice.
The neurologic examination is reviewed with regard to efficiency, technical errors, and patient comfort. Misleading nomenclature causes errors in executing and interpreting many bedside tests. The examiner can insure success by accepting every patient nonjudgmentally and by maintaining a mind-set that expects to find abnormalities. Since the examiner cannot do every possible test on every patient, intelligent utilization of the history may shorten the examination yet make it more informative. To insure full patient cooperation, the examiner should make each step in the examination into a game or contest and, wherever possible, match functions, such as muscle-to-muscle strength testing, directly against the patient's.
This study examines whether neurologic examinations at 6 and 12 months of age can predict developmental patterns in very low birth weight infants and fullterm controls through 40 months of age. We performed neurologic examinations at 6 and 12 months; the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 6, 12, and 24 months; and the Stanford-Binet and the McCarthy Motor scale at 40 months. The very low birth weight infants were categorized on the basis of socioeconomic status and high or low risk for early medical complications. More abnormal neurologic scores predicted greater deceleration of cognitive development for high-risk infants only. The 12-month neurologic examination predicted the degree of deceleration in motor development. Medical risk was an independent predictor of curvature of the psychomotor development curve. We conclude that neurologic examinations during the 1st year of life might be used with other factors in decision concerning referrals to early-intervention programs.
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Manual assessment of muscular function, in particular a method known as applied kinesiology (AK), is a clinical measure of neurologic function. A review of the literature reveals methodological problems with previous studies of AK as a form of neurologic assessment. Research designs that do not reflect clinical practice and principles of AK are common in the literature. Additional study is warranted to explore the potential of AK manual muscle testing as a diagnostic tool. We outline principles of AK and recommend that future research reflect more accurately the clinical practice of functional neurologic assessment and applied kinesiology.
Neurological Examination Abnormalities (NEA) are prevalent in schizophrenia, but the significance of this is obscured by methodological problems. The Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES), the most widely used structured neurological examination in schizophrenia research, has had limited study of its inter-rater reliability (IRR). An augmented version of the NES was jointly administered (one examiner-rater and one observer-rater) by three pairs of psychiatrists to two populations of patients with idiopathic psychotic disorders. In addition to the ordinal and categorical data yielded by the original NES, continuous data were recorded in one of the series. Reliability analyses of our populations and a previously published study, reveal consistently adequate IRR in 12 of the 26 items assessed, and inconsistently adequate IRR in an additional 11. Consistent with studies using other NEA schedules, IRR was unacceptably low for some items that rely on subjective severity ratings. Certain rare abnormalities, which posed difficulties for the estimation of IRR, are probably not generally useful in the study of schizophrenia. Reliability estimates of continuous, ordinal and dichotomous data were comparable in most cases. We recommend that certain items from the NES be deleted, and that other studies of NEA in psychiatry follow similar procedures before undertaking further analyses.
BACKGROUND: We studied reports of clinical neurological status in patients referred from primary and secondary health service to a neurological department. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We evaluated referrals consecutively during 6 months. By using parametric and categorical statistical methods, we studied characteristics in examined patients compared with others. RESULTS: Of a total of 912 patients, 431 (47%) had been examined neurologically. Among the women, 267 women (51%) had been examined; among the 164 men (43%). Patients with musculoskeletal disorders were more often examined, p = 0.0001, while those with faint or seizure disorders were significantly less frequently examined compared with other patients, p = 0.009. Clinical neurological examinations were performed more often in women compared with men, p = 0.03. The mean age was higher in the examined group (49.7 years) compared with others (46.5 years), p = 0.006. INTERPRETATION: Clinical neurological examination in patients referred to a neurological department had more often been performed in women, in higher age groups, and in those with musculoskeletal symptoms. In more than half of the patients, the decision of referring patients to the department of neurology was not based on results obtained from clinical neurological examination.
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This study examined whether a neurologic examination at 6 months of age is predictive of neurodevelopmental outcome at 12 months in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. A neurologic examination and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development were performed at 6 and 12 months with VLBW infants and full-term (FT) controls. VLBW infants were categorized based on early medical complications. High-risk (HR) infants had diagnoses of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, pulmonary immaturity, grade III or IV intraventricular hemorrhage, and/or periventricular leukomalacia. VLBW infants with other diagnoses were placed in the low-risk (LR) group. Total neurologic scores (NS) improved over time for all three groups but improved more for HR infants, who had more abnormal NS at both time points; NS at 6 months predicted neurologic and developmental scores at 12 months for all three groups, but the relation between 6- and 12-month outcomes was strongest for the HR infants. The neurologic examination may be helpful in assessing VLBW infants' need for referral to early childhood intervention programs.
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