Delusions in a Sample of Patients with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder: The same or different?

Abstract

Abstract Background Growing evidences indicate that there is overlapping between schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BP) in neurobiology, phenomenology or even in changing of diagnosis from schizophrenia to bipolar disorder or vice versa. Psychotic symptoms can be observed during manic or depressive episodes in bipolar disorder. While manic or depressive episodes can be observed between or during psychotic episodes in schizophrenia. Aim of the work To describe delusional types present in both groups of study sample: a group of patients with schizophrenia and a group of patients with bipolar disorder accompanied by psychotic features. Also to compare between types of delusions in patients with schizophrenia and patients with bipolar disorder accompanied by psychotic features. Patients and Methods total 80 patients (40 in group of Schizophrenia and 40 in group of bipolar disorder accompanied by psychotic features) were selected as convenient sampling from patients during the first two weeks of their admission in the Institute of Psychiatry, Ain Shams University Hospitals. Nature and types of the delusions were assessed by using Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) in study period from 1st of October 2017 till 1st of April 2018. Results Delusion of persecution is the commonest delusion in group of SCZ (37.5%), while delusion of grandiosity is the commonest delusion in group of BP accompanied by psychotic features (32.5%). Monothematic delusions are doubling frequent in group of BP accompanied by psychotic features (75%) if it compared to group of SCZ (35%). Non systematized delusions are the dominant in group of SCZ (45%) while most delusions in other group are some systematized (45%). Delusions of most patients in group of SCZ are incongruent with mood (77.5%). While delusions of most patients in group of BP accompanied by psychotic features are congruent with mood (65%). The presence of delusion is positively correlated to higher score of: SANS (in both groups), PANSS (in both groups) and YMRS (in BP accompanied by psychotic features). Conclusion delusions of schizophrenia are different in nature and types when it compared to delusions of bipolar disorder.