The symptoms of chronic schizophrenia. A re-examination of the positive-negative dichotomy.
The relationships between symptoms in 40 schizophrenic patients, selected for persistence of symptoms, were examined. The symptoms segregated into three syndromes: psychomotor poverty (poverty of speech, lack of spontaneous movement and various aspects of blunting of affect); disorganisation (inappropriate affect, poverty of content of speech, and disturbances of the form of thought); and reality distortion (particular types of delusions and hallucinations). Both the psychomotor poverty and disorganisation syndromes were associated with social and occupational impairment; in particular, the psychomotor poverty syndrome was associated with impairment of personal relationships, and the disorganisation syndrome with poor self-care and impersistence at work.
Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School.
P F
PF
Liddle
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012648:Self Care; D012919:Social Behavior; D014937:Work