The Prehistory of Schneider's First-Rank Symptoms: Texts From 1810 to 1932

Abstract

Importance: First-rank symptoms (FRS), proposed by Kurt Schneider in 1939, subsequently became influential in schizophrenia diagnosis. We know little of their prehistory. How often were FRS described before 1939 and in which countries and time periods? Which FRS was most frequently noted?

Observations: Forty psychiatric texts from 37 authors, published 1810-1932, were identified that described FRS. In a systematic subsample, half of the textbooks examined contained such descriptions with little differences between countries or over time. Somatic passivity was most commonly noted, followed by thought insertion, thought withdrawal, and made actions. This pattern resembled that reported in recent studies of schizophrenia. A novel term-delusions of unseen agency-was seen in psychiatric texts and then found, from 1842 to 1905, in a range of official reports, and psychiatric, medical, and general audience publications. The Early Heidelberg School (Gruhle, Mayer-Gross, Beringer) first systematically described "self-disturbances" (Ichstörungen), many of which Schneider incorporated into FRS.

Conclusions and relevance: From the beginning of Western descriptive psychopathology in the early 19th century, symptoms have been observed later described as first-rank by Schneider. A term "delusion of unseen agency"-closely related to Schneider's first-rank concept-was popular in the second half of the 19th century and described in publications as prominent as the Encyclopedia Britannica and New England Journal of Medicine. The descriptions of these specific symptoms, with substantial continuity, over more than 2 centuries and many countries, suggest that an understanding of their etiology would teach us something foundational about the psychotic illness.

Keywords: Schneiderian symptoms; history; schizophrenia.