Molecular Medicine and the Prospects for Prevention and Early Intervention in Schizophrenia

Abstract

Early intervention in schizophrenia has three aspects. First, patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia who have achieved a degree of clinical improvement and course stability are likely to have a future exacerbation of psychotic symptoms. Certain psychosocial therapeutic techniques and antipsychotic medications reduce the relapse rate. A clinical care program that provides close clinical monitoring can detect early warning signs of relapse, and interventions aimed at preventing progression from exacerbation to relapse can be initiated (1). Available intervention techniques include assuring adherence with antipsychotic drugs, administration of antianxiety drugs to target prodromal symptoms (2), and the use of psychosocial techniques to reduce stress, provide personal support, and assure outreach if the patient withdraws. Early intervention in this situation is plausible, effective (3,4), and should be the standard of care. That the majority of patients with chronic forms of schizophrenia do not receive care meeting this standard is a shame in a resourcerich country such as the United States (5). KeywordsAntipsychotic DrugCase AscertainmentEarly Warning SignUntreated PsychosisBioi PsychiatryThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.