Abstract
Schizoaffective disorder represents a frequent illness accompanied by substantial uncertainties in diagnostics, treatment and the conceptual framework. The differences between both current diagnostic manuals (DSM-IV-TR and ICD-10) are reflected in the heterogenity of the concept of this disorder.
The reliability of both diagnostic criteria is relatively low, and lower for DSM-IV. The stability of this diagnosis in time ranges from 36 to 94%.
The systematic evaluations of prevalence, course, prognosis, genetics, neurocognitive outcome and brain imaging document the assumptions that schizoaffective disorder can be placed between schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder. The treatment has been systematically mapped only for psychotropics.
The clinical efficacy has been documented for antipsychotics and their combinations with mood stabilizers. Two multicentric placebo-controlled studies confirmed the clinical effect of paliperidone ER in monotherapy and its combinations with mood stabilizers and antidepressants.
The remediation of problematic reliability and validity of schizoaffective disorder would be based on the more consistent diagnostic criteria. Alternatively, the current categorical concept of psychoses would be replaced by the dimensional approach