In this Article

• Introduction to schizoaffective disorder
• What are the symptoms of schizoaffective disorder?
• Depression
• Mania
• Schizophrenia
• What causes schizoaffective disorder?
• Who gets schizoaffective disorder?
• How common is schizoaffective disorder?
• How is schizoaffective disorder diagnosed?
• How is schizoaffective disorder treated?
• What is the outlook for people with schizoaffective disorder?
• Can schizoaffective disorder be prevented?
• Schizoaffective Disorder Glossary
• Schizoaffective Disorder Index

Mania

• Increased activity, including work, social and sexual activity
• Increased and/or rapid talking
• Rapid or racing thoughts
• Little need for sleep
• Agitation
• Inflated self-esteem
• Distractibility
• Self-destructive or dangerous behavior (such as going on spending sprees, driving recklessly or having unsafe sex)

Schizophrenia

• Delusions (strange beliefs that are not based in reality and that the person refuses to give up, even when presented with factual information)
• Hallucinations (the perception of sensations that aren't real, such as hearing voices)
• Disorganized thinking
• Odd or unusual behavior
• Slow movements or total immobility
• Lack of emotion in facial expression and speech
• Poor motivation
• Problems with speech and communication

What Causes Schizoaffective Disorder?

While the exact cause of schizoaffective disorder is not known, researchers believe that genetic, biochemical and environmental factors are involved.

• Genetics (heredity): A tendency to develop schizoaffective disorder may be passed on from parents to their children.
• Brain chemistry: People with schizophrenia and mood disorders may have an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain. These chemicals, called neurotransmitters, are substances that help nerve cells in the brain send messages to each other. An imbalance in these chemicals can interfere with the transmission of messages, leading to symptoms.
• Environmental factors: Evidence suggests that certain environmental factors—such as a viral infection, poor social interactions or highly stressful situations—may trigger schizoaffective disorder in people who have inherited a tendency to develop the disorder.

Suggested Reading by Our Doctors

• Depression - Read about depression causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and types, including manic depression (bipolar disorder), postpartum depression and clinical depression.
• Schizophrenia - Get information on schizophrenia symptoms (delusions, hallucinations), causes (genetics), diagnosis, treatment of schizophrenics (antipsychotic medications) and types (paranoid).
• Psychotic Disorders - Learn about mental illness types (schizophrenia, substance-induced), causes, symptoms (delusions, depression), diagnosis and treatment of psychotic disorders.

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