Article
Article
Schizophrenia
Article By:
Keefe, Richard S. E. Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
Harvey, Philip D. Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York
Last reviewed:April 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.606200
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A brain disorder that is characterized by unusual mental experiences, including hallucinations, delusions, changes in emotional experience, and severe decrements in social, cognitive, and occupational functioning. Schizophrenia is usually a devastating illness (see illustration). It typically begins in late adolescence to early adulthood and is lifelong. It often robs the affected individual of various aspects of meaningful existence, and it is emotionally stressful for his or her family members and loved ones. The popular belief that schizophrenia is characterized by multiple personalities is a misconception. See also: Brain; Cognition; Emotion; Psychosis
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