Many schizophrenics display delusions, hallucinations and misinterpretations of reality. No sign or symptom is pathognomonic. Prior history of schizotypal or schizoid personality traits or disorder are often present. Depressive symptoms may be present, but duration of these symptoms has been brief compared to duration of the psychotic symptoms. Many symptoms are categorized as either positive or negative.
Hallucinations are most commonly auditory or visual, but can occur in any sensory modality.
Delusions Disorganized behavior Thought disorder characterized by loose associations, tangentiality, incoherent thoughts, neologisms, thought blocking, thought insertion, thought broadcasting, and ideas of reference. The presence of tactile, olfactory or gustatory hallucinations may indicate an organic etiology such as complex partial seizures. Sensorium and memory are intact unless the patient is too psychotic to engage in testing. Insight and judgment frequently impaired. Epidemiology Lifetime prevalence of is one percent.