[Clinical features of the defect in the initial stages of juvenile malignant schizophrenia]

On the basis of a long-term follow-up of 48 patients with terminal juvenile process schizophrenia the authors studied the major structural characteristics of their marked personality changes and the regularities of their formation. It has been established that the key feature of the pattern of schizophrenic defect in these patients is the total loss of activity in all spheres of mental functioning combined with pronounced retardation of psychic maturation not infrequently with the signs of personality regress. It has been revealed that the first signs of personality defect in these patients can be detected already at the initial stage, the disease beginning with negative disturbances.