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Insight and its Related Factors in Chronic Schizophrenic Patients: A preliminary Study.

Takai A; Uematsu M; Ueki H, Sone K and Kaiya Hisanobu.

European Journal of Psychiatry, 6:159-170, 1992.

RELEVANCE FOR EARLY INTERVENTION

Lack of insight into having an illness, defined by a single item on the Present State Examination, was correlated with structural brain abnormalities. Specifically, patients with poor insight into having an illness had increased ventricular brain rations. Ventricular enlargement of the third ventricle was most strongly correlated with poor insight. Meanwhile, IQ was not found to be significantly associated with insight suggesting that the brain dysfunction underlying this deficit in self awareness may be relatively specific rather than a consequence of a general decline in cognitive function. This study is the first to show an association between structural brain abnormalities and lower levels of insight in patients with chronic schizophrenia. It adds to the growing body of literature that suggests that poor insight in this disorder is a consequence of a mental defect.

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