Schizoaffective disorder

Definition:

A psychotic illness with both schizophrenic (severely disordered behavior with hallucinations, delusions, and deteriorating function) and affective (mood) symptoms

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

With a schizoaffective disorder, a person will have features of 2 different diagnoses: schizophrenia and affective disorders (also known as mood disorders). Often this diagnosis is used on a provisional basis when there is uncertainty about the diagnosis or about which symptoms represent the primary underlying disorder. At some time during the illness, a major depressive episode or manic episode is usually present.

The exact cause of the disorder is usually not determined, but factors that affect the development of both schizophrenia and affective disorders may play a role in the development of schizoaffective disorders. These would include genetic, biochemical, and psychosocial factors. Risk factors include a family history of schizophrenia or affective disorder. The incidence and prevalence of this disorder are unknown, but it is thought to be less common than schizophrenia or affective disorders. Women may be affected more often than men. While affective disorders can be common in children, schizophrenia is not; therefore schizoaffective disorder tends to be rare in children.