Premorbid personality

In psychiatry and neurology, premorbid personality refers to the condition of a patient's personality prior to the definitive onset of a disorder such as schizophrenia or Alzheimer's disease. Researchers look at premorbid personality to determine psychological risk factors for the development of a particular disorder.

Clinical and diagnostic usage
In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders may be diagnosed as conditions premorbid to the onset of schizophrenia.