schizophrenia

Headline
Etiology Genetic link (50% concordance in identical twin; 15% in 1st degree relatives)?
Epidemiology ~1% population prevalence. Age onset M (late teens) vs F (early twenties). Mortality from CVD, metabolic disease!
Clinical presentation Ddx: always rule out organic causes if there is abrupt onset first presentation psychosis... acute transient psychosis, schizoaffective disorder (depression/mania in same disease course), personality disorder; organic causes of psychosis

First Rank Symptoms: hallucinations (70% auditory), passivity phenomena, thought withdrawal/ insertion/broadcast, delusional perception → present most of the time for ≥1/12
Negative s/s: affective blunting, alogia, asociality, avolitionality, attention deficit
Pathogenesis
Diagnostic investigations
Management Psychoeducation, therapeutic relationships
• Better prognosis with ↑ age, 15% chance no further relapse after 1st episode psychosis
• Avoid collaborating with delusions (“agree to disagree”)
• Antipsychotics for positive s/s
➥➥ atypical = D2 blockers, EPSE - 1st line E.g. risperidone (↑ prolactin)
➥➥ typical = D2 blockers ⚠ EPSE
➥➥ metabolic syndrome
• Clozapine only if treatment-resistant
• Monitoring: FBC /wk → /2wk → /monthly; withdraw if leukopaenic
• primary s/s are esp disabling!
Prevention