The authors examined the differences between 30 patients with familial
schizophrenia (those with a schizophrenic first-degree relative) and 83
patients with sporadic schizophrenia (those with a negative family history
for schizophrenia). Although the two groups showed no difference in the
intensity of 1) flattened, depressed, or elevated affect, 2) auditory
hallucinations, and 3) delusions, more of the familial (56.7%) than the
sporadic (18.1%) schizophrenic patients had severe thought disorders. EEGs
were performed while the patients were taking neuroleptics; 72.3% of the
sporadic schizophrenic patients and 43.3% of the familial patients had an
abnormal tracing. The authors conclude that the division of schizophrenia
into familial and sporadic forms may represents a valid
subclassification.Abstract Teaser