In this review, sequential stages of the development of negative disorders doctrine are presented beginning from first description of negative symptoms (Aretaeus of Cappadocia — AD I-II) and the first deficit classification (including two polar types: congenital and acquired dementia by J.-E. Esquirol) to indigenous Russian (I.M. Balinsky, I.P. Merzheevsky, S.S. Korsakov, V.P. Serbsky and others) and foreign (B. Morel, H. Schüle, K. Kahlbaum, E. Hecker) studies of the middle 19^th — beginning of 20^th century. Special attention in this review of studies in prenosological period is given to the W. Griesinger’s development of the main statements of deficit changes’ classification and development pathways. Authors’ studies created conditions not only for psychopathological construct of negative disorders to be set apart into particular category — «secondary insanity» (a group of psychiatric set of symptoms, which accumulate manifestations of mental deficit), but for to be subsequently clinically studied.