Last reviewed: 23 Dec 2020
Last updated: 18 May 2018
Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- positive symptoms
- negative symptoms
- disorder of perception
- delusions
- disturbances in emotions
- disorders of stream and form of thought
- cognitive abnormalities
- deficit symptoms
Other diagnostic factors
- neurological deficit
- family history
- disorders of behavior
Risk factors
- family history of schizophrenia
- substance use
- age of the father at patient's birth
- psychological stress
- environment
Diagnostic investigations
1st investigations to order
- urine drug screen
- sexually transmitted disease screening
- complete blood count
- thyroid function tests
Investigations to consider
- laboratory studies to exclude organic causes
- CT/MRI head
- EEG
Treatment algorithm
Contributors
Authors

Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry
University of California
Irvine
CA
Disclosures
RGB declares that he has no competing interests.

Health Sciences Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
University of California, Irvine School of Medicine
Irvine
CA
Disclosures
AP declares that he has no competing interests.
Peer reviewers
Professor of Psychiatry
University of Missouri Kansas City
Kansas City
MO
Disclosures
KS declares that he has no competing interests.
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Baltimore
MD
Disclosures
WTR declares that he has no competing interests.
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