Defining the schizophrenia phenotype

Schizophrenia is a complex disease with multifactorial etiology. The schizophrenia phenotype has been traditionally defined by chronic psychosis and functional deterioration. However, the boundary of the phenotype is likely to be more extensive than the one defined by chronic psychosis. This is highlighted by the findings of subtle, schizophrenia- like deficits in the nonschizophrenic, first-degree relatives of schizophrenic patients. Subtle clinical signs and symptoms, cognitive impairment particularly in attention and memory, and neurophysiologic deficits such as in sensory gating and smooth-pursuit eye movements all define aspects of the schizophrenia phenotype.