ABSTRACT
Most studies on the aetiology and characteristics of the odd/eccentric personality disorders (Cluster A) have focused on schizotypal personality disorder. Paranoid and schizoid personality disorders have been neglected to some extent in clinical research studies. Individuals with schizotypal personality disorder share phenomenological, genetic, and biological characteristics with patients with chronic schizophrenia. Relatively few data are available with respect to precursors of Cluster A personality disorders. Laboratory-based assessment of neurocognition and memory systems and paradigms from experimental psychopathology (e.g. emotional information processing) have hardly been used in studying patients formally diagnosed with Cluster A personality disorders: most studies involved individuals scoring high on schizotypy or individuals scoring high on paranoid ideation or delusional patients. However, these approaches hold promise in elucidating the neurobehavioural facets, development, and diagnostic boundaries of these personality disorders and may eventually be heuristic with respect to interventions for these disorders and prevention of progress into psychotic disorders.
