Haug HJ, Wirz-Justice A, Rössler W. Actigraphy to measure day structure as a therapeutic variable in the treatment of schizophrenic patients.
Acta Psychiatr Scand Suppl 2001:91-5. [PMID:
11261650 DOI:
10.1034/j.1600-0447.2000.00018.x]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
A component of social skills is the ability to adapt to the social rhythms of the environment. Patients with schizophrenia are often disabled in this adaptation. Thus, structuring activities throughout the day has long been known as part of psychosocial treatments. Actigraphy as a tool to measure acitvity and circadian rhythms may even serve as an indicator for the day-structuring of schizophrenic patients.
METHOD
Actigraphy was used in a patient with affective disorder and one with chronic schizophrenia for more than 2 weeks.
RESULTS
In comparison to a regular 24-hour rest-activity cycle in a depressed patient, the actigraph of the patient with schizophrenia presents active phases at night, irregular activity levels at day and signs of a delayed-sleep-phase syndrome.
CONCLUSION
Actigraphy could serve as a tool to investigate activity levels and circadian rest-activity phases, even in schizophrenia. There may be some further benefit of actigraphy as a tool in psychosocial treatments.
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