Schizophrenia Types - OmniMedicalSearch.com

Conditions & Diseases: Psychological & Mental Health

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia Types

According to DSM-IV, there are 5 types of schizophrenia based on the specific symptoms exhibited by the person. It is not excluded that a person can be diagnosed with more than one type of schizophrenia during their life.

1. Paranoid Type
Paranoid schizophrenia is one of the most common forms of schizophrenia and is characterized by prominent persecutory or grandiose delusions and auditory hallucinations "related to the content of the delusional theme." In some patients, delusions organized around other themes such as jealousy, religiosity, or somatization (sexual or other body sensations) can also occur. This type of schizophrenia does not include disorganized speech and behavior, but patients affected by it exhibit anxiety, anger, aloofness, and argumentativeness. Individuals with paranoid schizophrenia may display a superior and patronizing attitude, and due to the persecutory and grandiose nature of their delusions and hallucination, they are predisposed to suicide and violent behavior. The onset age for this form of schizophrenia is later in life than other types and it tends to have a better prognosis "particularly with regard to occupational functioning and capacity for independent living."

2. Disorganized Type
Disorganised schizophrenia (also known as hebephrenic schizophrenia) is characterized by disorganized thinking (inability to form logical and coherent thoughts, inability to initiate plans), disorganized speech (to wander through a topic, jump from an idea to another, on unintelligible speech), and disorganized behavior (childlike silliness, swearing or shouting out of the blue, neglecting personal hygiene, inappropriate sexual behavior in public, wearing many layers of clothes on a warm day, urinating in public, grimacing, mannerisms), and flat or inappropriate affect. In some cases, delusions and hallucinations can be present but they are not organized into a coherent theme. This type of schizophrenia severely disrupts the person's ability to function normally. The person cannot perform daily activities (showering, grooming, dressing, or preparing meals) and interact with others. Disorganized schizophrenia is associated with an early and insidious onset, and "a continuous course without significant remissions."

3. Catatonic Type
Catatonic schizophrenia is a rare form of schizophrenia among the North American and Europian population, and is characterized by marked psychomotor disturbances such as (1) motoric immobility (catalepsy - persisting in unusual postures or facial expressions regardless of the exterior stimuli, or stupor - lack of cognitive function and level of consciousness when the person is almost entirely unresponsive and responds only to base stimuli such as pain), (2) excessive motor activity (the motor activity appears bizarre, purposeless, and unconnected with the surroundings), (3) extreme negativism (maintaining a rigid posture by resisting all the instructions or attempts to be moved), (4) mutism (inability or unwillingness to speak), (5) peculiarities of voluntary movement (voluntary assumption of inappropriate or bizarre posture or prominent grimacing), (6) echolalia (pathological, apparently senseless repetition of a word or phrase spoken by somebody else), or (7) echopraxia (involuntary repetition or imitation of someone else movements).

During episodes of catatonic stupor or excitement, the patient requires careful supervision in order to avoid harming themselves or those around them. The main health risks associated with catatonic schizophrenia include malnutrition, exhaustion, self-inflicted injuries, or hyperpyrexia (excessive or unusual high body temperature).

4. Undifferentiated Type
This is a type of schizophrenia diagnosed when the patient exhibits symptoms of schizophrenia which are not sufficiently formed or specific enough to meet the criteria of other types.

5. Residual Type
This type of schizophrenia is usually diagnosed when the patient suffered at least one episode of schizophrenia, but "the current clinical picture is without prominent positive symptoms" (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech or behavior). Residual schizophrenia is characterized by the presence of negative symptoms (flat affect, poverty of speech, or avolition) that can be briefly interrupted by a few positive symptoms such as odd beliefs, delusions and hallucinations, mildly disorganized speech, or eccentric behavior, but they are not prominent and do not cause severe dysfunctions. Residual schizophrenia can be indefinitely with or without acute exacerbations, and represents the transition period between full-blown psychotic episodes and complete remission.

Article by Alina Morrow,
MS Psychology
OmniMedicalSearch.com