schizophrenic syndromes
Last reviewed 01/2018
The variable presentation of patients with schizophrenia may confuse the student.
An understanding of the two poles of the disease, namely acute and chronic schizophrenia, may allow a clearer understanding of patients who inevitably fall somewhere in between.
Acute schizophrenia is characterised by positive symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations.
Chronic schizophrenia is characterised by negative symptoms such as apathy and social withdrawal.