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Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, a term introduced by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911, describes a severe psychological disorder marked by profound disruptions in attention, thought processes, language, emotion, and interpersonal relationships. The core feature of schizophrenia is psychosis — a state characterized by a fundamental detachment from reality. This disconnection manifests through distorted logic, impaired perception, and atypical behavior, severely affecting the lives of those...

Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia

Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...

Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview

Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview

The term "psychosis" refers to a spectrum of mental disorders characterized by abnormal thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors. It can manifest as mood disorders, dementia, delirium with psychotic features, substance-induced psychosis with psychotic features, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia. Among all these disorders, schizophrenia is the most common psychotic disorder, affecting 1% of the worldwide population. Psychotic...

Drug Therapy

Drug Therapy

The advent of drug therapy has profoundly shaped modern mental health care, providing targeted treatments for a range of psychological disorders. Psychotherapeutic drugs, classified into antianxiety, antidepressant, and antipsychotic medications, address symptoms across anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. While these medications have transformed patient outcomes, they require careful management due to their potential side effects and limitations.
Antianxiety Medications

Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy

Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy

Antipsychotic drugs are a crucial treatment method for acute and chronic psychoses, bipolar illness, and behavioral disorders. The selection of these drugs depends on several factors, including the state of the disease, clinical judgment, possible drug interactions, and the patient's sensitivity to adverse effects. In immediate scenarios, such as delirium and dementia, short-term treatment with low doses of high-potency typical or atypical agents can effectively manage symptom exacerbation.

Biological Causes of Schizophrenia

Biological Causes of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder, arises from a complex interplay of biological factors, including genetic predisposition, structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter dysregulation, and developmental irregularities. These factors collectively contribute to the onset and progression of the disorder, which typically manifests in late adolescence or early adulthood.
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The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin...

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Ageing with schizophrenia: an update.

Haley V Solomon^1,2,3, Martina Sinopoli^1,2,3, Lynn E DeLisi^2,4

¹Harvard South Shore Psychiatry Residency Program, Brockton, Massachusetts.

Current Opinion in Psychiatry

|February 3, 2021

Summary

Older adults with chronic schizophrenia show varied symptoms and outcomes. Treatment involves antipsychotics, dose reduction, and psychosocial interventions for improved quality of life.

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Area of Science:

Geriatric Psychiatry
Schizophrenia Research
Clinical Psychology

Background:

The population of older adults with schizophrenia is growing.
Schizophrenia presents heterogeneously in older individuals, impacting symptom severity, quality of life, and outcomes.
While suicide rates are elevated compared to peers, excess mortality is primarily due to natural causes.

Purpose of the Study:

To review current literature on clinical symptoms, functioning, outcomes, and treatments for elderly individuals with chronic schizophrenia.
To address the increasing prevalence and unique challenges of schizophrenia in late life.
To identify gaps in understanding predictors of recovery and optimal treatment strategies for this demographic.

Main Methods:

Systematic literature review of recent research on older adults with chronic schizophrenia.
Analysis of clinical symptoms, functional status, and treatment outcomes.
Examination of the role of antipsychotics, dose adjustments, and psychosocial interventions.

Main Results:

Older adults with schizophrenia exhibit diverse trajectories, including remission, persistent nonremission, and fluctuating symptoms.
Depression is common; cognitive decline and reduced illness awareness significantly affect function and quality of life.
Antipsychotics are crucial, with potential for dose reduction in stable patients; interdisciplinary and psychosocial approaches are vital adjunctive therapies.

Conclusions:

Schizophrenia in late life is under-researched, with older patients often excluded from studies.
Further research is needed to identify modifiable predictors of remission and recovery.
Optimizing efficacious and safe treatment strategies for elderly schizophrenia patients requires dedicated investigation.