Schizo-affective Disorder

What is Schizo-affective Disorder

The term affect means mood. Affective disorders are disorders of mood. People with schizo-affective disorder have a mental disorder in which symptoms of schizophrenia occur in combination with symptoms of a mood disorder such as depression or mania. Both types of symptoms occur together, or within a few days of each other, and both types are prominent. For example a person may experience hallucinations and delusions with symptoms of depression. Symptoms are recurrent, and depressive symptoms are more common than those of mania.

The incidence of cases of schizoaffective disorder is estimated at 2 cases per 100,000 per year. It is less common than schizophrenia, occurring at a rate of 50-85% that of schizophrenia.

The condition is more common in females. Median age of onset 29 years.

Clinical Features

Onset if often rapid and the condition may remit and relapse. In different episodes of the illness symptoms may be primarily schizophrenia or primarily affective in the same person.

Treatment

Medication used to treat schizo-affacetive disorder usually includes anti-psychotic drugs in combination with antidepressants, mood stabilisers and/or anticonvulsants.

Course

Prognosis may be better than that of schizophrenia with less impairment. However schizo-affective disorder is often a serious long term disabling condition. Outlook tends to be worse if psychotic symptoms persist, and schizophrenic symptoms are more predominant