Schizophrenia or a group of endogenous diseases? The past and the present

Abstract

A critical analysis of the main concepts of schizophrenia (from the Kraepelin paradigm to the current studies attempted to «destruct» schizophrenia as nosologically independent disease) is presented. In author’s opinion, the elimination of schizophrenia may lead to negative consequences as in aspect of clinical practice (the diagnosis of schizophrenia provides information about disease course, clinical and social outcomes) as well as in aspect of denial of autochthonous (endogenous) origin of mental disorders that fall under this definition. Based on the current level of knowledge, manifestation of these disorders can’t be well explained by the adverse effects of situational, psychogenic or somatogenic factors. The restriction of the definition of schizophrenia («process» schizophrenia) should be brought about by the elimination of a group of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (schizotypal disorder, schizoaffective disorder, delusional psychosis).