Neurological soft signs in bipolar disorder

Q: What are neurological soft signs (NSS)?
Ans. These include subtle deficits of motor coordination, sensory integration and sequencing of complex motor acts. 

Q. Why are these called "soft" signs?
Ans. These are termed soft signs because they cannot be localized to a particular area in the brain.

Q. Why are these being studied?
Ans. NSS are being studied in a variety of psychiatric illnesses because they might have a bearing on severity of symptoms and clinical outcome of psychiatric illnesses such as bipolar disorder

References

• Chrobak AA, Soltys Z, Dudek D, Siwek M. Neurological and cerebellar soft signs in bipolar disorder: The role of staging, type and history of psychotic symptoms. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2023 Mar 8;121:110673.
• Negash, A., Kebede, D., Alem, A., Melaku, Z., Deyessa, N., Shibire, T., Fekadu, A., Fekadu, D., Jacobsson, L. and Kullgren, G., 2004. Neurological soft signs in bipolar I disorder patients. Journal of affective disorders, 80(2-3), pp.221-230.