The concept of target features in schizophrenia research
Journal Title
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
Readers/Advisors
Journal Title
Term and Year
Publication Date
1999-05
Book Title
Publication Volume
99
Publication Issue
s395
Publication Begin
2
Publication End
11
Number of pages
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Abstract
Target features are clinical or neurobiological characteristics that arc
expressions of the underlying predisposition to an illness. They comprise a
wide range of phenomena, from thc classic signs and symptoms of
psychopathology to sophisticated measures of brain structure and function.
For schizophrenia, many target features have been identified. These include
eye tracking dysfunction, attentional impairment, allusive thinking,
neurological signs, thought disorder, characteristic auditory evoked
potentials, neuropsychological impairment, structural brain abnormalities and
functional brain abnormalities. In their most pathological forms, thcse
features are present among many schizophrenic patients, yet it is their
presence among their non-psychotic relatives that shows them to be target
features. We discuss the theoretical background for target features, present
examples and describe how the discovery of target features has implications
I for schizophrenia research.