Schizophrenia prevention.

A major hurdle is identifying those at risk for developing psychosis in the future.

One of the reasons schizophrenia is so disabling is that obvious psychotic symptoms — which are what usually prompt treatment — occur relatively late in the disease process. By then, cognitive function, as measured by various neuropsychological tests, is already lower on average than in healthy individuals. Learn more about meticore.

Neuroimaging studies have revealed that patients in this earlier “prodromal” phase have lost gray matter (neurons and other brain cells) when compared with controls — indicating that some underlying brain damage has occurred. And a preliminary study suggests that patterns of brain activation are already abnormal in those who may be at risk.

Since the mid-1990s, researchers around the world have been evaluating ways to prevent psychosis in patients most at risk for developing schizophrenia. The hope is that early intervention efforts might alter the disease course in a way that would improve outcomes and prevent disability.

A key obstacle is better identifying the young people most at risk for developing psychosis. Many investigators are therefore advocating for targeted interventions based on a more precise estimation of disease stage.

Key points

  • Schizophrenia prevention seeks to alter the disease course in a way that would improve outcomes and prevent disability.
  • Researchers are testing drugs, omega-3 supplements, and psychotherapy — with mixed results.
  • A major challenge remains accurately identifying individuals most at risk for developing schizophrenia.

Aiming for early detection

Heart disease provides a dramatic example of the benefits of early detection, with blood pressure medication and cholesterol-lowering drugs literally saving the lives of many people who are deemed at risk on the basis of clinical tests. But the earliest warning signs of schizophrenia are more subtle and less specific than those for heart disease. Nonetheless, researchers agree that vulnerability to schizophrenia begins in the womb, and that the disease progresses through five stages. Visit thehealthmania to learn more about healthy supplements.

Premorbid. Subtle cognitive and social difficulties — such as a child who is a slow learner or has trouble playing with others — are the earliest signs of schizophrenia, but also may suggest other developmental problems.

Prodromal. This phase involves an intensification of social difficulties and muted or fleeting psychotic symptoms, such as strange thoughts, odd perceptions, or hearing or seeing something that is not there. In the prodromal stage, an individual understands that these perceptions are not real.

Psychotic. The onset of frank psychosis is often dramatic and sudden. It is characterized by florid hallucinations and delusions, the “positive” symptoms of schizophrenia. Moreover, the individual now believes his or her perceptions to be real (“the television is talking to me”). At this phase the goal is to begin antipsychotic treatment as soon as possible.

Transitional. In this phase, the patient may recover from the first psychotic episode, but is prone to relapse. This is also a time when other disorders, such as anxiety or depression, may develop in conjunction with schizophrenia.

Chronic. In this final phase, the patient becomes more stable, but is likely to suffer persistent cognitive and social deficits — the “negative” symptoms that contribute to disability.

Schizophrenia prevention studies attempt to intervene at the prodromal stage. But only some people who develop prodromal symptoms later experience a psychotic episode — a transition known as “conversion.” The results of early prevention studies have reported conversion rates ranging widely from 9% to 76% of participants, with a mean of about 30%. Researchers have therefore been trying to find ways to improve detection of those likely to convert to psychosis — which would reduce the number of people being treated for a problem they would never develop.

This was the initial goal of the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS), funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), which pooled the results of eight participating sites. All the investigators used the same detailed questionnaire, the Structured Interview for Prodromal Symptoms (SIPS), to identify participants at increased risk for schizophrenia.

Last Updated on 10 bulan by Dimas Prasetyo Muharam

Oleh Tyaseta Rabita Nugraeni Sardjono

Nama lengkap saya adalah Tyaseta Rabita Nugraeni Sardjono, biasa dipanggil Tyas. Sejak 2012-sekarang saya mengalami halusinasi suara, jangan takut sama saya, 2013-2016 mengalami penurunan penglihatan (low vision) dan hingga kini terganggu penglihatan. Saya ini orangnya kritis :)

4 komentar

  1. mbak tyas, sepengetahuanku ilmu psikologi modern dengan ilmu yang bersifat natural sekarang ini pendekatannya mulai menemukan titik temu tidak lagi dikotomis namun holistik, aspek neurosis (fisik),psikis dan spiritual , samanisme (???)

    1. nah ya itu maksudku di kalimat yang ini
      “Dalam Psikologi sendiri ada Psikologi lintas budaya, ada Psikologi Klinis yang terus berkembang hingga kini, ada Psikologi Transpersonal, ada Psikologi Positif”
      terima kasih mbak Sinta atas penjelasannya,mohon maaf mbak apakah ada penjelasan secara rinci mengenai ini? Soalnya terus terang saya belum mengetahui secara detail

  2. kategori kami pindah ke Kesehatan. judul juga kami ubah sedikit agar lebih to the point. terima kasih

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