Schizoafective disorder: diagnostic difficulties – about two clinical cases

Abstract

Kasanin first used the term “schizoafective disorder” in 1933, to describe a sub-group of patients with simultaneous schizophrenic and affective symptoms, and relatively good prognosis. Discussions were held afterwards about the possibility that this category could simply be considered a subtype of schizophrenia or affective pathology, or placed in a continuum between both disorders, or individualized as a distinct clinical entity.

Now-a-days, the controversy still exists, being quite probably the most controversial diagnosis in the international classifications.

The authors make some theoretical considerations about the theme and present two clinical cases that illustrate these diagnostic difficulties.