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Chapter 3 - What Is Schizophrenia?

Symptomatology

from Part I - Neuroscience

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 April 2026

Katherine Warburton
Affiliation:
California Department of State Hospitals, University of California, Davis, USA
Stephen M. Stahl
Affiliation:
University of California, Riverside, USA
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Summary

Schizophrenia is a highly heterogenous disorder with substantial interindividual variationin how the illness is experienced and how it presents clinically. The disorder is composed of primary symptom clusters—positive symptoms, negative symptoms, disorganization, neurocognitive deficits, and social cognitive impairments. These, along with duration, severity, and excluding other possible etiologies, comprise the diagnostic criteria for the disorder outlined in the two commonly used diagnostic classification systems—the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision and the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision. These primary symptoms as well as accessory symptoms (mood disturbances, anxiety, violence) and comorbidities (substance use, suicidality) bear upon each other to varying degrees and impact functionaloutcomes. The following review presents two patient cases illustrating the clinical heterogeneity of schizophrenia, the natural history of the illness and diagnosis, followed by the current understanding of the primary symptom clusters, accessory symptoms, and comorbidities. In addition to noting symptom prevalence, onset, and change over time, attention is paid to the impact of symptoms on functional outcome.

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  • What Is Schizophrenia?
  • Edited by Katherine Warburton, California Department of State Hospitals, University of California, Davis, USA, Stephen M. Stahl, University of California, Riverside, USA
  • Book: Ethical and Clinical Complexities in the Treatment of Schizophrenia
  • Online publication: 29 April 2026
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009587747.004
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  • What Is Schizophrenia?
  • Edited by Katherine Warburton, California Department of State Hospitals, University of California, Davis, USA, Stephen M. Stahl, University of California, Riverside, USA
  • Book: Ethical and Clinical Complexities in the Treatment of Schizophrenia
  • Online publication: 29 April 2026
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009587747.004
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • What Is Schizophrenia?
  • Edited by Katherine Warburton, California Department of State Hospitals, University of California, Davis, USA, Stephen M. Stahl, University of California, Riverside, USA
  • Book: Ethical and Clinical Complexities in the Treatment of Schizophrenia
  • Online publication: 29 April 2026
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009587747.004
Available formats
×