Disorganized schizophrenia is a severe subtype of schizophrenia characterized by incoherent and illogical thoughts and behaviors that prevent daily functioning. Signs include disorganized thinking and speech, inappropriate behavior, lack of emotion, and delusions or hallucinations. It is diagnosed using criteria from the DSM including evidence of disorganized speech, behavior, blunted emotions, and emotions inappropriate for situations. The causes are likely genetic and environmental factors combined with imbalances in neurotransmitters like dopamine.

2. Misty Nikel
Jessica Fortner
Warren Taylor
Aaron Febbo
Michael Dunbar
Disorganized Schizophrenia

3. Schizophrenia – Disorganized
• Disorganized schizophrenia is one of several subtypes of
schizophrenia; it is a chronic mental illness and thought to
be an extreme expression of disorganization syndrome.
• It is characterized by incoherent and illogical thoughts and
behaviors.
• Mental health experts claim that disorganized
schizophrenia is a more severe schizophrenia because the
patient cannot perform daily activities. Because other
people may not understand the patient, he/she may
become frustrated and agitated and lash out.

4. Translation?
• Schizophrenia is a psychological disorder.
• It is classified separately from other disorders because it
is not easily categorized as an anxiety or mood disorder.
• Patients often experience non-existent stimuli that create
perceptions of things that do not exist; most commonly
voices.

5. Signs and Symptoms
• Disorganized thinking – The patient is unable to form
coherent thoughts; which affects speech. During
conversations, the individual cannot stick to the subject
and leaps from one subject to another.
• Grossly disorganized behavior – Symptoms so severe
that the patient is unable to perform ADLs such as
bathing, dressing properly and preparing meals. This may
lead to unprovoked agitation or sexual behavior in public.
Grossly disorganized behavior may feel normal to the
person with schizophrenia, but appears bizarre to those
around them.
• Inappropriate or lacking emotional expression - Flat
affect is sometimes a symptom of people with severe
depression or schizophrenia. They may also speak in a
monotonous voice and avoid eye contact.

6. Signs and Symptoms cont.
• Disorganized thinking – The patient is unable to form
coherent thoughts; which affects speech. During
conversations, the individual cannot stick to the subject
and leaps from one subject to another.
• Grossly disorganized behavior – Symptoms so severe
that the patient is unable to perform ADLs such as
bathing, dressing properly and preparing meals. This may
lead to unprovoked agitation or sexual behavior in public.
Grossly disorganized behavior may feel normal to the
person with schizophrenia, but appears bizarre to those
around them.
• Inappropriate or lacking emotional expression - Flat
affect is sometimes a symptom of people with severe
depression or schizophrenia. They may also speak in a
monotonous voice and avoid eye contact.

7. Signs and Symptoms cont.
• Delusions - Patient has false beliefs of persecution or
guilt. They may feel things are being controlled from the
outside or have extraordinary powers.
• Hallucinations - Hearing voices is more common than
seeing, feeling, tasting or smelling things.
• Social Withdrawal - Patients withdraw because they feel
someone will harm them or fear of interaction.
• Unaware of Illness - The hallucinations and delusions
seem more real for patients than actual reality; they often
refuse to take medications.
• Cognitive Difficulties - The patient's ability to
concentrate, remember, plan, and organize are affective.
Communication is very difficult.

8. Causes of Schizophrenia
• There is no single cause,
but researchers believe it
is a combination of factors.
• Genetics
• Environmental
• Problems with
neurotransmitters,
specifically dopamine and
glutamate.

9. Causes in Detail
• Genetics - Individuals with a family history of
schizophrenia have a higher risk of developing it. If there
is family history, your chance of developing is 1%, the risk
increases to 10% if one parent suffered from the disorder.
• Environmental - Exposure to viruses or fetal malnutrition,
problematic birthing, stress during early life, childhood
abuse or trauma, age of parents when child was born,
drug usage.
• Neurotransmitters - Doctors believe there is an imbalance
of dopamine that is involved during the onset of
schizophrenia; others believe serotonin may also be
involved.

10. Diagnosis

11. Diagnosis
• Physical Exam - Patient's height, weight, heart rate,
blood pressure, temperature are assessed.
• CBC - To rule out alcohol and drugs, check of thyroid
function.
• MRI/CT - To determine brain lesions or abnormalities in
brain structure.
• EEG - Check for brain function.
• Psychological Evaluation - Psychiatrist will assess the
patient about thoughts, feelings, behavior.

12. Additional Diagnosis Criteria
• Diagnostic Criteria - The patient must meet specific
symptoms criteria to be diagnosed with schizophrenia
defined in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders)
• For a diagnosis of disorganized schizophrenia, there
must be clear evidence of:
– Disorganized speech
– Disorganized behavior
– Lack of or blunted emotion
– Emotions which are not appropriate for given situations

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