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Age of Onset in Schizophrenia: Relations to Psychopathology and Gender

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

C. Mayer ,
G. Kelterborn  and
D. Naber
C. Mayer
Affiliation:
Nervenklinik der Universität München, Psychiatrische Klink und Poliklinik, Nußbaumstraße 7, 8000 München 2, Germany
G. Kelterborn
Affiliation:
Nervenklinik der Universität München, Psychiatrische Klink und Poliklinik, Nußbaumstraße 7, 8000 München 2, Germany
D. Naber*
Affiliation:
Nervenklinik der Universität München, Psychiatrische Klink und Poliklinik, Nußbaumstraße 7, 8000 München 2, Germany
*
∗Correspondence
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Abstract

This retrospective study evaluated differences between patients with first manifestation of schizophrenic psychosis (ICD 295) or paranoid syndrome (ICD 297) between the ages of 18 and 23 or 40 and 63 years. Gender-specific variations in psychopathology were also examined. The numerous analyses of variance gave few significant differences. Patients with a late onset of the disease scored higher on depressive and autonomic syndrome scales at admission, whereas patients with an early onset showed more psychosocial impairment at discharge and their stay in hospital was longer. Among schizophrenic patients only (ICD 297 excluded), only the higher score for autonomic syndrome of the older patients at admission was confirmed. Men were more apathetic at admission and discharge than were women. Excluding patients with a paranoid syndrome, these differences were again significant. Moreover, schizophrenic men had higher depressive and psycho-organic syndrome scores at discharge. The demonstration of only marginal differences between early- and late-onset schizophrenia does not support the assumption that age of onset markedly influences psychopathology.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 162 , Issue 5 , May 1993 , pp. 665 - 671
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1993 

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