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Schizophrenia - disorganized type - Symptom

Alternative Names

Hebephrenic schizophrenia; Disorganized schizophrenia

Symptoms:

Active, but in an aimless and not constructive way
Bizarre and inappropriate emotional responses
False, fixed beliefs (delusions)
Inability to feel pleasure
Inappropriate grinning and grimacing
Lack of emotion and motivation
Seeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations)
Silly behavior

Some of these symptoms are also seen in other types of schizophrenia. The main difference is erratic behavior, with speech that is not grammatical or is random-ordered.

Signs and tests:

Diagnosis involves:

Laboratory tests
Physical examination
Psychiatric evaluation

These tests can help rule out other causes of the symptoms.

Reviewed last on: 2/6/2008
Christos Ballas, MD, Attending Psychiatrist, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

International Early Psychosis Association Writing Group. International clinical practice guidelines for early psychosis. Br J Psychiatry. 2005;187:s120-s124.

Addington D, Bouchard RH, Goldberg J, Honer B, Malla A, Norman R, Tempier R. Clinical practice guidelines: treatment of schizophrenia. Can J Psychiatry. 2005;50:7s-57s.

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