The Kraepelinian dichotomy: Evidence from developmental and neuroimaging studies

Schizophrenia and affective disorder are both characterized by disturbances of thought, behavior, and mood, but for much of the century since Kraepelin(I) distinguished the two, investigators approached them as distinct disorders with quite separate etiologies. However, dissatisfaction with the Kraepelinian dichotomy has been growing,(2-4) and recent evidence from developmental, genetic, epidemiological, and outcome studies suggests that the two have much more in common than was previously thought.