Actigraphy to measure day structure as a therapeutic variable in the treatment of schizophrenic patients

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.