Schizophrenia is a clinical syndrome characterized by a heterogeneous mixture of clinical features referred to as psychosis. The age of onset of schizophrenia appears to be 18–25 years for men and 25–35 years for women. Onset after the age of 45 (late onset) is uncommon and after the age of 65 (very late onset) very uncommon.

present and discuss the case of a patient with late onset schizophrenia.

analysis of patient’s medical file.

A 76 years old female patient, married, mother of 3, house maid was diagnosed late onset schizophrenia at age 63 at her first Psychiatric appointment. At that time, patient presented systematized bizarre delusions of persecution, auditory hallucinations of two voices arguing with each other and thought broadcasting. She maintained her adequate social functioning and only her nuclear family noticed symptom’s onset scheduling a Psychiatric appointment for her. She began treatment with risperidone (2mg/day). After some weeks of treatment there was complete remission of symptoms. Psychiatric follow-up and risperidone treatment were maintained for 13 years. In the last few months, the patient began the same clinical symptoms she had experienced at age 63. After augmenting risperidone dose there was complete remission of symptoms after 2 weeks.

This clinical case reports a patient with schizophrenia with an onset at age 63 which is an uncommon diagnosis for presenting psychotic patients at this age. Nevertheless, late onset schizophrenia usually has a good therapeutic response to low dose neuroleptic therapy and a good prognosis.