Chaos theory and schizophrenia: elementary aspects.

Elementary aspects of the usefulness and impact of chaos theory to an understanding of schizophrenia are discussed. In addressing the question 'Is there chaos in schizophrenia?', attention is limited to schizophrenic psychosis. A differentiated view of chaos as metaphor, analogy and mathematical/physical concept is presented with emphasis upon how the latter may apply to empirical knowledge of schizophrenic psychosis. The typical behavior of both psychotic schizophrenic patients and general chaotic systems, and the dynamical analysis of time-series data extracted from such systems, are reviewed. A general hypothesis connecting chaos and schizophrenia is introduced and analyzed. Arguments are provided in favor of the hypothesis at sociological, psychological, and biological scales of manifestation. This makes possible a model-independent 'chaos theory approach' to schizophrenia and the criteria necessary to test it. Some consequences of this approach are briefly considered. The original question is rephrased with the technical language of chaos theory: 'Are chaotic attractors diagnostic markers for schizophrenia?' or 'Is schizophrenia a dynamical disease?'. A few implications of viewing schizophrenia as a dynamical disease are discussed.