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Schizoaffective Disorder
Definition:
- a condition in which a person experiences a combination of schizophrenia symptoms – such as hallucination or delusions – and mood disorder symptoms – such as mania or depression.
Causes:
- it appears to have a distinct genetic link. Researchers also believe that it involves brain chemistry. There has been evidence of an imbalance with the serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain.
o Serotonin and Dopamine are neurotransmitters that help to regulate people’s moods.
Diagnosis:
- The person must have an in-depth interview with a medical professional.
- It the doctor suspects a psychiatric condition, he/she might take a complete medical, psychiatric, and social history of the individual.
- To be diagnosed one must meet the criteria spelled out in the DSM.
o Schizophrenia along with mood symptoms
o A mood disorder along with schizophrenia
o A psychotic condition other than schizophrenia, plus a mood disorder
o Also, diagnosis requires that the condition is not due to the effects of a substance or a general medical condition.
o To establish a diagnosis a person must have demonstrated delusions or hallucinations, at some point, for at least two weeks without evidence of mood disorder symptoms.
o http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/psychology/781/sd-dsm.htm
- This disorder can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are so similar to other disorders with mood and psychotic symptoms – like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.
Symptoms:
- the symptoms will vary from person to person.
- Psychotic symptoms
o Hallucinations
o Disorganized thinking
o Paranoid thoughts
- Mood Disturbances
o Depressed moods
o Manic moods
- Psychotic features and mood disturbances may occur at anytime or may appear on and off interchangeably. It can cycle from sever symptoms to an improved outlook.
Signs:
- A person will have a number of signs including:
o Strange or unusual thoughts or perceptions, paranoid thoughts and ideas, unclear or confused thoughts, thoughts of suicide or homicide.
o Bouts with depression or manic moods
o Irrelevant or incoherent speech
o Catatonic behavior
o Deficits in attention and memory
o Lack of concern about hygiene and physical appearance
o Changes in energy, appetite, and possible sleep disturbances.
Prevalence:
- The exact prevalence is not clear, but it is estimated to be between two to five thousand individuals affected by this disorder.
- Early adolescence and early adulthood are the peak times for the onset. It has been diagnosed in childhood but vary rarely.
Treatment/ Prognosis:
- People are generally treated with a combination of medicine and counseling.
- Common medications used to treat individuals with this disorder are neuroleptics, mood stabilizers, and antidepressants.
- Compliance with medication is very important and that combined with proper psychiatric treatment make the outlook for individuals diagnosed with this disorder better than those with schizophrenia and about the same as individuals with bipolar disorder.
Sources:
DSM-IV Criteria for Schizoaffective Disorder. Retrieved September 8, 2009, Web site: http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/psychology/781/sd-dsm.htm.
Schizoaffective disorder. Retrieved September 8, 2009, Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/schizoaffective-disorder/DS00866
Schizoaffective Disorder. Retrieved September 8, 2009, Web site: http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=54&ContentID=23043