Relationship of schizotypal personality disorder to schizophrenia: genetics.

The adoptive, family, and twin studies show that schizotypal personality features are found among the relatives of schizophrenics. However, it has not been shown that there is a higher risk of schizophrenia among the relatives of schizotypals. An explanation may be that the current DSM-III criteria of schizotypal personality disorder do not adequately define schizotypals genetically related to schizophrenia. While some of the cases that meet DSM-III criteria are within the schizophrenia spectrum, others are unrelated to schizophrenia. There is reason to believe that schizotypals characterized by distant relationship to others, suspiciousness, eccentricity, peculiar communication, and dysfunctional school and work performance are within the schizophrenic sphere, while individuals with psychotic-like symptoms phenomenologically similar to schizophrenia and diagnosed as schizotypal personality disorders in DSM-III represent decompensation of other personality disorders.