Current Psychiatry Reviews - Volume 7, Issue 1, 2011

The duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) construct is recognized as a predictor of early-course outcomes of individuals diagnosed with nonaffective psychotic disorders. Although a major area of early-psychosis research has been DUP as a predictor of outcomes, less is known about the potential determinants of DUP. Because the community-level median DUP may be modifiable, which is compelling evidence for the p Read More

Weight gain in schizophrenia patients is becoming a major concern as second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) have been associated with considerable increase in weight. The mechanisms by which they produce this side effect are not known. The orexins, are a family of hypothalamic neuropeptides that are selectively expressed in neurons of “feeding area” (lateral hypothalamus and perifornical area). They arise from Read More

In a recent paper, Andrews & Thomson (2009) presented the hypothesis that depression is a functional trait that was selected because it helps to solve complex problems and that it is related to high levels of serotonin in the brain. Notwithstanding the fact that the authors' main focus is on the first issue, the hypothesis ends up being much bolder in relation to the second one, as it challenges much about everything that is accep Read More

Despite great progress in basic schizophrenia research, the conclusive identification of specific etiological factors or a pathogenic process in the illness has remained elusive. The convergence of modern neuroscientific studies in molecular genetics, molecular neuropathology, neurophysiology, in vivo brain imaging, and psychopharmacology, however, indicates that we may be coming much closer to understan Read More

Background: Medical guidelines claim to be evidence based, to report newest scientific information and to be transparent in respect to authorship. They want to optimize treatment, improve patient outcome, and reduce unnecessary costs. It must empirically be tested in randomized controlled trials to which degree these claims are fullfilled in day-to-day practice, and whether “guideline exposed physicians” treat their patients d Read More

There has been a global surge in the use of mobile phones over the past decade with subscription rates of devices in Europe now exceeding 100%. Mobile phones are popular, portable and affordable, and allow for easy communication. This provides an opportunity for their use in improving mental health related outcomes, especially through use of text message technology. Several studies have demonstrated the usefulness Read More

From an evolutionary perspective, psychiatric depression presents a paradox: despite disadvantages for survival and reproduction, depression has significant heritability and is remarkably prevalent. A potential explanation for this paradox is provided by the hypothesis that the immune system helps regulate mood to aid defense against infection. This “infection-defense” hypothesis proposes that immune vulnerability to infectio Read More

Background: The accommodation and support needs of former long-stay and “new” long-stay patients with severe mental illness are complex. These two groups with different histories but similar needs are referred to in this paper as long-term patients. The science of psychiatric rehabilitation has advanced, but residential instability, homelessness, forensic involvement and substance abuse contribute to the rehabi Read More