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Wilson's Disease: A Prospective Study of Psychopathology in 31 Cases

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

T. R. Dening
Affiliation:
Oxford Regional Health Authority, lately Research Fellow, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge
G. E. Berrios*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge Clinical School
*
Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ

Abstract

A prospective neuropsychiatric study of 31 consecutive subjects with Wilson's disease is reported. Exploratory factor analysis yielded four factors: neurological, cognitive, hepatic/depressive and psychiatric. Significant associations were found between a ‘psychopathic’ personality factor and neurological and dysarthria scores. The d’ and β coefficients of a signal-detection memory task dissociated: the former correlated only with Mini-Mental State and Benton visuospatial task; and the latter with depressive symptoms. Using discriminant function analysis, there was efficient classification of ‘psychopathic’ personality by dysarthria, and of individual depressive symptoms by disturbance of gait. Biochemical markers of hepatic dysfunction were significantly associated with certain depressive symptoms. No evidence emerged to support the putative association with schizophrenia-like psychosis.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1989 

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Footnotes

An abridged version of this paper was presented at the Quarterly Meeting of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Cambridge, April 1988.

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