Personality deviations within the schizophrenia spectrum

The aim of this paper is to find out what kind of nonpsychotic personality features may have the same origin as schizophrenia and thus constitute a nonpsychotic alternative to schizophrenia. Family, twin and adoption studies are reviewed. The conclusion is that only schizotypal personality disorder seems to be etiologically related to schizophrenia. Among the schizotypal criteria, only eccentricity, affect constriction and excessive social anxiety are unequivically a nonpsychotic, etiologically linked alternative to schizophrenia.