In schizophrenia, are lack of capacity and lack of insight more usefully understood as anosognosia?

OBJECTIVE

To argue that lack of capacity, lack of insight and anosognosia represent different facets of an interconnected, underlying process.

METHODS

Electronic and manual literature search.

RESULTS

There is demographic, clinical, neurocognitive and possible neuroanatomical overlap between lack of capacity, lack of insight and anosognosia.

CONCLUSION

The use of different terms may reflect the background of the authors and their investigative methodologies rather than unrelated phenomena. Anosognosia is preferred as it progresses research and usefully informs clinical and legal practice.