Psychotic Continuum or Distinct Entities: Discussion

Abstract

Marneros exposed very clearly the controversy between “psychotic continuum or distinct entities” with reference to schizophrenia, schizoaffective psychoses, and affective disorders. Is there only one disorder (unitary concept), two (Kraepelin), a multitude (Wernicke, Kleist and Leonhard), or a spectrum without clear borders between the subgroups (Angst and Scharfetter)? In other words, do the subgroups of functional psychoses differ qualitatively or only quantitatively in regard to psychopathology or phenomenology? In order to suggest distinct clinical entities, syndromal stability has first of all to be shown by prospective clinical studies.