schizophrenia

[ skit-suh-free-nee-uh, -freen-yuh ]

noun

1. Psychiatry. a spectrum of mental disorders characterized by emotional blunting, intellectual deterioration, social isolation, disorganized speech and behavior, delusions, hallucinations, or a combination of any of these symptoms. Formerly dementia praecox.
2. Sometimes Offensive. a state characterized by the coexistence of contradictory or incompatible elements.

schizophrenia

/ ˌskɪtsəʊˈfriːnɪə /

noun

1. any of a group of psychotic disorders characterized by progressive deterioration of the personality, withdrawal from reality, hallucinations, delusions, social apathy, emotional instability, etc See catatonia hebephrenia paranoia
2. informal.
   behaviour that appears to be motivated by contradictory or conflicting principles

schizophrenia

/ skĭt′sə-frē′nē-ə,skĭt′sə- /

1. Any of a group of psychiatric disorders characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, hallucinations, and psychotic behavior. Schizophrenia is associated with an imbalance of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain and may have an underlying genetic cause.

schizophrenia

1. A form of psychosis marked by a strong tendency to dissociate oneself from reality. Schizophrenia is often characterized by hallucinations , delusions , and inappropriate reactions to situations. The word schizophrenia is often used informally as well as scientifically to indicate a split personality .

Other Words From

• schiz·o·phren·ic [skit-s, uh, -, fren, -ik], adjective noun
• non·schiz·o·phren·ic adjective
• un·schiz·o·phren·ic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of schizophrenia¹

First recorded in 1910–15; schizo- + -phrenia

Word History and Origins

Origin of schizophrenia¹

C20: from schizo- + Greek phrēn mind + -ia

Example Sentences

In evidence, Irwin, of George Street, described suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, which caused him to hear voices and hallucinate.

From BBC

Using a novel experimental approach, the international team studied the effects of two drugs -- entacapone and loxapine, a medication for schizophrenia -- on fecal samples from healthy human donors.

From Science Daily

Dylan Thomas had been arrested weeks earlier for trying to scale the fence at Buckingham Palace, and is being treated for schizophrenia at a secure hospital.

From BBC

While cannabis is a known risk factor for developing psychosis, which can progress to schizophrenia, this is the first time researchers have measured structural changes in the brains of a high-risk population in real time.

From Science Daily

Certain conditions, such as schizophrenia or depression, as well as ADHD, impair working memory.

From Science Daily