SCHIZOPHRENIA

SCHIZOPHRENIA

It is a group of heterogeneous disorders characterized by severe disturbances of thinking, perception, mood and volition.

Sub-categories of Schizophrenia:

F 20.0                               Paranoid Schizophrenia

F20.1                                Hebephrenic Schizophrenia

F.20.2                               Catatonic Schizophrenia

F 20.3                               Undifferentiated Schizophrenia

F 20.4                               Post Schizophrenia Depression

F 20.5                               Residual Schizophrenia

F 20.6                               Simple Schizophrenia

F 20.8 and F20.9          Others and Unspecified.

Paranoid Schizophrenia: The core symptoms are paranoid delusions. Hallucinations are common with paranoid themes.  The illness usually has a late onset.

Hebephrenic Schizophrenia: This has an early onset occurring at or around puberty. Onset is usually insidious but may be acute. It progresses rapidly leading to gross personality deterioration and negative symptoms. Formal thought disorders are prominent. Thoughts are disorganized. Speech is incoherent and rambling. Mood is shallow and inappropriate with occasional euphoria and is marked by silly giggling, smiling and laughter. Hallucinations may be present.

Catatonic Schizophrenia: Motor and volitional disturbances are the most prominent features.  In excitement there is stereotyped and purposeless over activity and impulsive behavior.  Alternatively all motor activity is reduced, sometimes markedly in the form of Mutism and stupor.  Posturing, negativism, echolalia and echopraxia are also common.

Simple Schizophrenia: It is characterized by a slow and progressive withdrawal from social and work situations.  It has an insidious onset.  The patient does not exhibit any psychotic features.  There are no hallucinations or delusions and the condition is often confused with mental sub-normalities.

Residual Schizophrenia: This represents a chronic stage of schizophrenia with incomplete remissions and residual symptoms as lack of drive, underactivity, shallow affect and regressed behavior.

Undifferentiated Schizophrenia: When several psychotic symptoms are presented and differentiation to any clinical group is not possible, the illness is said to be undifferentiated.