Affective disturbances
 Express
emotions
Many patients with schizophrenia seem to have lost the ability to
express emotion. Even when discussing something intensively, their
voice may be monotonous and their facial expression rigid and immobile.
This symptoms is known as blunted (or flat) affect.
Blank face
The face of a schizophrenic patient with this symptom looks "blank"
compared with the face of someone not suffering from the disease.
This blank face can make the patient appear like a "zombie".
Limitied eye contact and few gestures
A patient with blunted affect avoids eye contact and makes few gestures
and movements. The patient may not respond when spoken to. In severe
cases, the person may become nearly motionless. This state is called
"catatonia".
Express emotions in unusual ways
Other patients may express emotions in unusual ways, which may appear
as inappropriate to others. For example, a patient may smile while
talking about the funeral of a close relative.
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