The subtyping of schizophrenia in men and women: a latent class analysis

Abstract

SynopsisLatent class analysis on an epidemiologically based series of 447 first contact patients with a broad diagnosis of schizophrenia revealed evidence for two subtypes: a ‘neurodevelopmental’ type characterized by early onset, poor pre-morbid social adjustment, restricted affect and a male: female ratio of 7:3; and a ‘paranoid’ type characterized by later onset, persecutory delusions and an almost equal sex ratio. A third ‘schizoaffective’ subtype, whose existence was less clear cut, was almost entirely confined to females and characterized by dysphoria and persecutory delusions, and had negligible familial risk of schizophrenia. The aetiological, biological and clinical significance of this typology remains to be tested.

Resemblance of psychotic symptoms and syndromes in affected sibling pairs from the Irish Study of High-Density Schizophrenia Families: evidence for possible etiologic heterogeneity

“…Since the classic work of Lorr et al (39), many attempts have been made, by using a range of statistical methods, to define objective subtypes of schizophrenia (40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49). In subjects from the Irish Study of High-Density Schizophrenia Families who met DSM-III-R criteria for schizophrenia, we found evidence, by using latent class analysis applied to the 11 items from the Major Symptoms of Schizophrenia Scale plus age at onset and gender, for at least five distinct syndromes.…”

Schizophrenia is (not simply) a neurodevelopmental disorder

“…On the other side, we see a different constellation: female sex, later onset of illness, good premorbid and interepisodic functioning, and almost unremarkable brain structure. The first constellation has been said to reflect neurodevelopmental impairment (Castle et al, 1994) and a possible association with language deficits and a less asymmetric brain is currently investigated. The second constellation certainly appear to be similar to the clinical picture of the affective psychosis.…”

From social neurons to social cognition: implications for schizophrenia research / Sosyal nöronlardan sosyal kognisyona: Şizofreni araştırmalarına etkileri

“…Consistent with this interpretation, though speculative, the association of low VEN density with early onset schizophrenia could also explain why patients with juvenile onset of the disorder are more often socially aloof and display more negative symptoms than lateonset patients (97). Put differently, if VENs have indeed a role in complex social emotion processing and self-reflection, a reduction in density or number could account for deficits in these cognitive domains in schizophrenia patients.…”