Ontogenesis of self-disorders in the schizophrenia spectrum: A phenomenological neuro-developmental model.

A two-stage phenomenological-developmental model explains how early deficits in multisensory integration disrupt the formation of the Minimal Self in the first years of life, creating a schizotaxic vulnerability that later manifests as basic self-disorders and subjective anomalies characteristic of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Self-disorders capture the experiential aspects of vulnerability to these disorders, emerge before major diagnostic symptoms, and are detectable in populations with familial risk.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The concept of basic Self-disorders (SD) captures the experiential aspects associated with vulnerability to schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). SD emerge prior to, and constitute the underlying structure for, the emergence of major diagnostic symptoms, including positive psychotic ones. SD are also detectable in populations with familial risk for SSD. This paper proposes a two-stage phenomenological-developmental model, exploring the early deficit in multisensory integration and their impact on the ontogeny of the Minimal Self in the first years of life. It also examines subsequent emergence of schizotaxic vulnerability, which later manifests as typical anomalies of subjectivity, such as basic symptoms and self-disorders.