[Prolonged states of virtual recovery after atypical pubertal schizophrenic episodes with over-valuation disorders of the "metaphysical intoxication" type]

Abstract

Using clinical and follow-up methods of investigation the authors studied a number of patients with juvenile slowly progressive schizophrenia in whom the disease picture in youth was characterized by over-worship disturbances of the "metaphysical intoxication" type which were attended by marked social and occupational disadaptation. A group of patients (n = 25) was identified with a state of practical cure after youth. Three most characteristic patterns of personality changes in these patients were described. The dominant role in their structure was played by manifestations of delay of mental maturation and the syndrome of psychic juvenilism of a dissociated nature. A certain relationship was found between the level and nature of the patients' occupational adaptation and the type of their personality changes. The question is discussed about the determination of the disease stage in such cases. The authors consider them as recovery states with some personality changes which can be ascribed to residual schizophrenia.