Schizophrenia: new updates

Dr. Hani Hamed Dessoki, M.D.Psychiatry

Prof. Psychiatry

Chairman of Psychiatry Department

Beni Suef University

Supervisor of Psychiatry Department

El-Fayoum University

APA member

Evidence-Based Psychotherapy for Schizophrenia 2011 Update

any patients with schizophrenia have psychological distress and receive some form of psychotherapy.

Several different psychotherapeutic approaches for schizophrenia have been developed and studied.

Of these approaches, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has the strongest evidence base and has shown benefit for symptom reduction in outpatients with residual symptoms.

In addition to CBT, other approaches include compliance therapy, personal therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and supportive therapy.

Faith B. Dickerson; Anthony F. Lehman, FOCUS 2012;10:217-225.

Evidence-Based Psychotherapy for Schizophrenia 2011 Update

Although usually studied as distinct approaches, these therapies overlap with each other in their therapeutic elements.

Psychotherapy for schizophrenia continues to evolve with the recent advent of such approaches as meta-cognitive therapy, narrative therapies, and mindfulness therapy.

Future research may also consider three different goals of

psychotherapy in this patient population: to provide emotional support, to enhance functional recovery, and to alter the underlying illness process.

Faith B. Dickerson; Anthony F. Lehman, FOCUS 2012;10:217-225.

Schizophrenia and autoimmune diseases

New data show that individuals with schizophrenia are at increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases, according to a study reported yesterday in AJP in Advance.

Michael Benros

New Data

The increased risk of subsequent autoimmune diseases in individuals with schizophrenia may involve neuropsychiatric manifestations from the undiagnosed autoimmune disease, medical treatment or lifestyle associated with schizophrenia, or common etiological mechanisms, such as infections and shared genetic factors.

New Data

 An increased risk of schizophrenia in those with autoimmune diseases, but that theirs is the first study to investigate the link between schizophrenia and subsequent development of an autoimmune disease "and to consider the effect of infections, a possible risk factor for both schizophrenia and autoimmune diseases."

Immune System Protein Could Give Clue to Late-Onset Schizophrenia

An immune system component called C-reactive protein appears to be associated with late-onset schizophrenia, suggesting that immune-system-provoked inflammation contributes to the illness.

Psychiatric News, Clinical and Research News,October 10, 2013

Sodium Benzoate May Improve Symptoms, Cognition in Schizophrenia, Study Suggests

Sodium benzoate—commonly used as a food preservative—appears to improve symptoms and cognition in schizophrenia when used as an adjunct to antipsychotic medication therapy.

Mechanism

Benzoate blocks the metabolism of d-amino acids, which in turn enhances the function of the NMDA receptor in the brain; NMDA is believed to be vital to cognition, a crucial symptom domain of schizophrenia. 

“The preliminary results show promise for d-amino acid oxidase inhibition as a novel approach for new drug development for schizophrenia,” the authors said.