Schizoaffective disorder

• Schizoaffective disorder is where symptoms of schizophrenia and a mood disorder (depressed or manic) are equally prominent
• Diagnosis:

  • ICD-11 = schizophrenic and affective symptoms simultaneously present for at least 1 month and equally prominent
  • ICD-10 and DSM-5 state symptoms need to be present for 2 weeks
• Types:

  • Schizoaffective disorder manic type - psychotic and manic symptoms occurring within 1 episode
  • Schizoaffective disorder depressive type - psychotic and depressive symptoms occurring at the same time
  • Schizoaffective disorder mixed type - psychotic symptoms with both manic and depressive symptoms. Psychotic symptoms are independent and not always related to the other symptoms
• Epidemiology:

  • More common in women
  • Tends to develop at a later age in women than men and is more likely to be the depressive type
  • Depressive type more common in older people
  • Manic type more common in younger people
  • Symptoms usually begin in early adulthood
• Management:

  • Same as for schizophrenia
  • Treat manic or depressive symptoms as you would for bipolar affective disorder