Schizoaffective disorder Health Article

Definition

Schizoaffective disorder is a mental condition that causes both a loss of contact with reality (psychosis) and mood problems.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

The exact cause of schizoaffective disorder is unknown. Changes in genes and chemicals in the brain (neurotransmitters) may play a role.

Schizoaffective disorder is believed to be less common than schizophrenia and mood disorders. Women may have the condition more often than men.

Although mood disorders are somewhat common in children, schizophrenia is not. Therefore schizoaffective disorder tends to be rare in children.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of schizoaffective disorder are different in each person.

Often, people with schizoaffective disorder seek treatment for problems with mood, daily function, or abnormal thoughts. Psychosis and mood changes may occur at one time, or off and on by themselves.

Psychotic symptoms can last for at least 2 weeks without major mood symptoms. The course of the disorder involves cycles of severe symptoms followed by improvement.

The symptoms of schizoaffective disorder include:

• Changes in appetite and energy
• Believing that someone on TV or the radio is speaking directly to you or that secret messages are hidden in common objects (delusions of reference)
• Disorganized speech that is not logical
• False beliefs (delusions)
• Feeling that everyone or one person or agency is out to get you (paranoia)
• Irritability and poor temper control
• Lack of concern with hygiene, grooming
• Problems sleeping
• Seeing or hearing things (hallucinations -- especially "hearing voices")
• Trouble concentrating
• Very good or bad mood

Signs and tests

Your health care provider will do a psychiatric evaluation to find out about your behavior and symptoms.

To be diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, you must have psychotic symptoms -- but normal mood -- for at least 2 weeks.

The combination of psychotic and mood symptoms in schizoaffective disorder can be seen in other illnesses such as bipolar disorder. The extreme disturbance in mood is an important part of schizoaffective disorder.

The health care provider must consider and rule out any medical, psychiatric, or drug-related condition that causes psychotic or mood symptoms before making a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. Schizophrenic or mood disorder symptoms can occur in people who:

• Abuse cocaine, amphetamines, or phencyclidine (PCP)
• Have seizure disorders
• Take steroid medications