[Consistency of symptomatic dimensions of schizophrenia in a 12 year follow up study]

Objectives were to identify syndromes measured by BPRS-E scale and to analyse changes in syndromes' consistency in the course of a 12 year prospective study.

A group of 80 patients with diagnosis of schizophrenia was followed up in 1, 3, 7 and 12 years after their first psychiatric hospitalisation. Their psychopathological status was investigated with BPRS-E scale.

Four syndromes were found: positive, negative, depressive and excitement. However, in the following time points, consistency of syndromes was different. The most consistent syndrome was the negative one. Often symptoms connected with this syndrome four, namely: motor retardation, blunted affect, uncooperativeness, emotional withdrawal were present in every follow-up within this syndrome. In the case of the excitement syndrome two symptoms (hostility and tension) were present in all follow-ups. None of the symptoms included in the depressive and positive syndromes were consistently present within these syndromes over the period of twelve years.