BACKGROUND
Minor physical anomalies (MPAs) are subtle morphological variants that may reflect atypical prenatal development. Elevated MPAs have been reported in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but findings have been inconsistent.
METHODS
We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, and grey-literature sources for case-control studies published through December 2025 that reported total MPA scores in ASD or ADHD versus typically developing controls. Pooled effect sizes were calculated as Hedges' g using random-effects models with restricted maximum likelihood estimation. Shared control groups were handled by sample splitting. Heterogeneity, subgroup and moderator effects, and small-study effects were examined.
RESULTS
Twelve ASD studies and eight ADHD studies met inclusion criteria. Across disorders, MPAs were significantly elevated relative to controls (pooled g = 0.72, 95% CI 0.56-0.89). Disorder-specific pooled estimates were significant for both ASD (g = 0.69) and ADHD (g = 0.77), with no significant difference between disorders (Qbet = 0.22, p = 0.64). In ASD, effects were stronger for craniofacial anomalies than for peripheral anomalies, and item-level syntheses highlighted several ear- and palate-related features. In ADHD, evidence of small-study effects suggested possible overestimation, although conclusions remained robust in sensitivity analyses.
CONCLUSIONS
MPAs are reliably elevated in both ASD and ADHD. Current case-control evidence supports MPAs as a transdiagnostic marker of early developmental perturbation rather than a feature that strongly differentiates between these disorders.
E. Halaç, Nazan Gündoğan Küçükşahin, E. Bora· Nordic Journal of Psychiatry· 0 citations
BACKGROUND
Social cognition (SC) is central to functioning in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, yet most studies examine single disease stages or domains. It therefore remains unclear whether five SC domains (Theory of Mind [ToM], Social Perception [SP], Social Knowledge [SK], Emotion Recognition [ER], Attributional Bias [AB]) show homogenous impairments and follow a stage-like patterns across the psychosis spectrum.
METHODS
A total of 359 participants (schizophrenia [SCH] = 59; first-episode psychosis [FEP] = 75; ultra-high risk [UHR-P] = 84; familial high-risk [FHR-P] = 55; healthy controls = 86) were administered a comprehensive SC battery and clinical scales. Group differences and linear trends (stage-ordered differences; stepwise gradients from FHR-P to SCH) were analyzed by ANCOVAs controlling for age and education. Associations with clinical variables were assessed using Spearman correlation.
RESULTS
ANCOVA revealed a significant group difference only in ToM domain (p = .025), with lower performance in patients compared to asymptomatic FHRP. Linear trend analysis indicated small, but significant staging pattern in ToM (p = .023) and SK (p = .015). No significant staging was observed in SP, ER or AB. Better ToM and SK performance correlated with better functioning, fewer negative symptoms, and later age of onset.
CONCLUSIONS
SC impairment in psychosis is heterogeneous. ToM, and to a lesser extent SK, shows stage-ordered differences and significant clinical links, whereas SP, ER, and AB exhibit relatively flatter stage profiles across the psychosis spectrum. Given the cross-sectional design and modest effect sizes, conclusions about within-person change are not warranted.
M. Eyuboglu, C. Demirlek, M. Demir et al.· Schizophrenia Research· 0 citations
