Current Psychiatry Reviews - Volume 12, Issue 4, 2016

Available research has clearly demonstrated that individuals with longstanding psychotic disorders have deficits in cognitive functioning that (i) have deleterious effects on their everyday functioning and (ii) can be partially ameliorated via available treatment options. Despite the fact that the cognitive deficits that accompany psychotic disorders are largely present by the time of the first-episode of psychosis, the nature of thes Read More

Psychotic disorders are devastating illnesses that impact countless people worldwide, and a mounting body of empirical evidence promotes the importance of early intervention in psychosis for improving outcomes for young people living with these disorders. In particular, studies aimed at understanding the interactions between symptoms, functioning, and recovery amongst those early in the course of illness (i.e., first-epis Read More

Despite evidence that individuals with schizophrenia are disproportionately affected by cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, it is unclear if individuals with schizophrenia have an underlying liability to cardiovascular diseases or if these diseases are a consequence of psychotic illness (e.g., antipsychotic medications, sedentary lifestyle). To resolve this, we must study cardiovascular disease risk factors in individuals in th Read More

Abnormalities in basic sensory perception are frequently found in individuals with schizophrenia. However, the literature on basic sensory perception in the clinical high-risk and firstepisode psychosis populations has been less extensive. This article summarizes research on sensory perception in clinical high-risk and first-episode psychosis for the auditory, visual, olfactory, and bodycentered senses. It then highlights t Read More

In schizophrenia, social cognition is a strong predictor of functional outcome, and researchers have developed a range of interventions with the aim of improving functional outcome by way of improved social cognition. This article summarizes the literature on social cognitive dysfunction and social cognitive treatment approaches in first episode psychosis (FEP). Although the literature in FEP is relatively small, findings parallel t Read More

Recent developments in the U.S. healthcare policy signal a growing commitment to early intervention for psychotic disorders. A growing international and U.S. research database supports the effectiveness of specialty team-based models adapted to care for young individuals with recent onset psychosis. The RAISE (Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode) initiative, sponsored by the NIMH (National Institute Read More

Growing research has highlighted that the first few years of psychotic illnesses constitute a “critical period” in which (i) the majority of the functional deterioration that accompanies these illnesses occurs, and (ii) individuals are most responsive to both pharmacological and psychosocial treatments for psychosis and its deleterious sequelae. Clinical interest in intervening earlier in psychotic episodes, and what early interv Read More

In the context of contemporary psychiatry, most patients live in their family’s home, which leads to cohabitation of brothers and sisters with the schizophrenic sibling. Having briefly alluded to the change in the role granted to the families of patients in psychiatric care, the present article reveals the intrapsychic and interpersonal issues involved in this cohabitation. Discussion turns around clinical practice with the brothers Read More

Adversity in early life has been associated with consequent altered behaviors or mental disorders during adulthood. Similar observations occur in the intrauterine environment that can disturb the neurodevelopment of the fetus. A particular example of this phenomenon is seen in infants of mothers who experience depression during pregnancy, who seem to be more prone to have emotional disturbances throughout life. Th Read More