Minor Physical Anomalies and Quantitative Measures of the Head and Face in Patients With Psychosis

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Abstract
MINOR PHYSICAL anomalies (MPAs) are subtle variations in soft tissue, cartilaginous, and bony structures that are the result of an uncertain mix of genetic and environmental factors operating prenatally. Studies have examined MPAs in various disorders in order to provide clues about the nature and timing of risk factors for the disorder. There is now robust evidence that patients with schizophrenia have more MPAs compared with controls.1-8 In particular, studies have suggested that MPAs involving the head and face best discriminate patients with schizophrenia from controls.9,10 Lane et al3 made an important contribution to the field when they included quantitative anthropomorphic measures in their study of 174 patients with schizophrenia and 80 controls. They reported an overall elongation of the middle and lower face, widening of the skull base, and a concentration of MPAs involving the eyes, ears, and mouth in the patient group.