The possibilities of using the polygraph to study negative symptoms of patients with paranoid schizophrenia
Background. Negative symptoms in schizophrenia are the main cause of disability, reduced quality of life and a predictor of the adverse course of the disorder. At the present stage, methods of instrumental objective assessment of the severity of negative symptoms have not been introduced into routine practice, although experience has been gained in using the polygraph in diagnosing negative symptoms. Methods. 19 patients (12 men (63.2%); median age 31.6 ±10.8 years) with paranoid schizophrenia who suffered from 1 to 7 psychotic episodes were examined at the stage of remission formation against the background of average therapeutic doses of antipsychotics with using an MRI-compatible polygraph. Results. The preliminary data obtained indicate the sensitivity of the method for diagnosing the severity of negative symptoms. Conclusion. The testing methodology requires validation and verification of results on a large sample of patients.