Schizophrenia and Related Conditions in Late Life

Abstract

Schizophrenia has been studied in detail from a psychological perspective. This research has focused on symptomatology, adaptive functioning, and cognitive impairments during the premorbid, early, and middle stages of the illness. In contrast to the huge volume of psychological research on schizophrenia in these earlier stages, there is considerably less research on schizophrenia and related conditions in late life. Understanding schizophrenia in late life is important for several reasons, including developing knowledge of the impact of aging on the illness, developing new treatments specifically targeted at older individuals, and understanding any differences between individuals with schizophrenia that has been chronic throughout the lifespan and individuals who develop schizophrenia late in life. With the aging of the population of the United States, the average age of psychiatric patients, including persons with schizophrenia, will increase as well.