[Status of profound deficits during the late stages of schizophrenia with a unfavorable course]

On the basis of examining 86 senile schizophrenics with defective initial conditions two groups of such conditions were specified: 1) defect conditions retaining the structure specific for schizophrenia (apathic defect, apathic mental deficiency and its variant with pseudosenile disturbances); 2) defect conditions, approaching by their manifestations to the picture of psychic disintegration associated with senile dementia. The psychopathological structure of the first group of defect conditions primarily reflects the degree of the schizophrenia progression. Their time course in old age was limited to insignificant age-related modifications and decompensation. Deficit conditions in the second group develop the more frequently, the closer to old age the period of the maximum activity of the schizophrenic process and the older the patients.