Pd. Harvey et al., AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN FORMAL THOUGHT-DISORDER IN CHRONICALLY HOSPITALIZED SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS - A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ACROSS 9 DECADES, The American journal of psychiatry, 154(2), 1997, pp. 205-210
Objective: This study used a cross-sectional design to examine the fre
quency of occurrence and severity of 10 different signs of thought dis
order in schizophrenic patients across the lifespan. Method: Schizophr
enic patients, who ranged in age from 19 to 96 years (N=392), were exa
mined with the Scale for Assessment of Thought, Language, and Communic
ation. The cognitive functioning of the geriatric patients (patients o
ver the age of 64, N=120) was also assessed. Results: Poverty of speec
h was more common and more severe in geriatric patients, while four di
fferent signs of thought disorder that reflect disconnected speech wer
e less common and less severe in geriatric patients. Analysis of covar
iance found that the lower severity of disconnection thought disorders
in the older patients was not attributable to differences in the amou
nt of speech produced. Conclusions: Aspects of disconnected speech wer
e less severe in older patients, while the severity and frequency of p
overty of speech were greater. These findings suggest that the two pre
viously identified separate dimensions of communication disorder In sc
hizophrenia vary differently with age and possibly in their cognitive
and biological underpinnings.