Volume : IV, Issue : I, January - 2015

Early And Adult Onset Schizophrenia– A Comparision

R. Somasundara Babu, Dr. Nitya Narasimha Murty

Abstract :

BACKGROUND: Over the last few decades, research regarding the age of onset of schizophrenia and its relationship with other clinical variables has been incorporated into clinical practices. However, reports of potential differences in demographic and clinical characteristics between early and adult onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders have been controversial. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess difference in demographic and clinical characteristics correlated with age of illness onset in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. METHODS AND METHODOLOGY: This study was conducted at the psychiatry dept of ASRAM medical college and hospital, Eluru, Andhra Pradesh. This is a tertiary hospital and thirty patients with adolescent schizophrenia (early onset group; age 13- 18 years) drug naive, first episode were compared with thirty patients with adult onset schizophrenia (30-40 years) with in 1 year from June 2012 to June 2013 based on socio demographic profile, illness onset, subtype of schizophrenia, clinical features, family history and premorbid function. They were studied by interviewing clinically and applying rating scales. The data thus collected was tabulated and discussed. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out using chi square test for categorical variables and student- t test for continuous variables. Pearson correlation test was used to final association between variables studied. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to education and duration of untreated psychosis. Most of the patients with early onset (adolescent) schizophrenia had insidious onset compared to adult onset group. Disorganized schizophrenia was the predominant subtype in adolescents compared to paranoid subtype in adults. The early onset group had greater severity of illness and higher disorganization and negative symptom scores. Early onset schizophrenia group had positive family history (30%) in first degree relatives by about three times that in adult onset group (10%). The global function scores and premorbid adjustment scores of adolescent onset group was poorer. The pre morbid adjustment was poorer in the presence of negative symptoms only in the early onset group. The group of early onset schizophrenia with positive family history had greater negative symptoms at presentation. In early onset schizophrenia positive family history of schizophrenia is associated with greater negative symptoms and greater illness severity at onset. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of factors like negative symptoms, disorganization, positive family history of schizophrenia and poor premorbid function all of which have been put forth in previous studies as predictors of poor outcome in early onset (adolescent) schizophrenia.

Keywords :

Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijsr  

Cite This Article:

R.SOMASUNDARA BABU,DR.NITYA NARASIMHA MURTY Early And Adult Onset Schizophrenia- A Comparision International Journal of Scientific Research, Vol : 4, Issue : 1 January 2015

Number of Downloads : 900

References :