This chart review study compared 54 schizophrenic patients with onset of
illness after age 45 years to 54 young and 22 elderly patients with
early-onset schizophrenia (before age 45). The index group was more likely
to have visual, tactile, and olfactory hallucinations; a greater number of
different types of hallucinations; persecutory delusions; and premorbid
schizoid personality traits, and was less likely to have thought disorder
and affective flattening, than was either comparison group. Among the two
elderly groups, index patients had more auditory and visual sensory
impairment. Nearly half (48.1%) of the index patients responded to
neuroleptic treatment with complete remission.Abstract Teaser