When we think of a child’s “environment,”  we tend to think of their family and friends.  In fact,  our first “environment”  is inside the womb. The nine months during which a baby…

Why are some twin pairs concordant for schizophrenia whereas others are not? There must be factors other than genes that contribute to the development of schizophrenia. Another creative way of studying heredity is through adoption…

Why do some people develop schizophrenia rather than others? Risk factors are the characteristics that may make a person more likely than others to develop a disorder like schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is caused by…

The causes of schizophrenia are not known. However, an interplay of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors are thought to be involved. We do not yet understand all the causes and other issues involved, but…

A drug that is safe for use during pregnancy may not be safe for the nursing infant.  Exposure to antipsychotic medication in breast milk markedly differs from exposure to antipsychotics by the fetus…

Guidelines for prescribing antipsychotics during pregnancy and lactation include the following:

1.  Consider nondrug options
2.  Avoid drugs if possible during weeks 6–10
3.  Use antipsychotics about which most is known…

Genetics, age, height, weight, lean-fat ratio, diet, exercise, concurrent disease, smoking and alcohol, and the administration of concomitant drugs all contribute to antipsychotic drug response, as does…

The diagnosis of schizophrenia is usually made between ages 15 and 25.  During those 10 years, schizophrenia is diagnosed in 12 men to every 10 women (32). This may be because the…

It is not known whether schizophrenic women have increased incidence of complications during pregnancy and delivery. Data from the Danish Medical Birth Register were used to compare 2212 births to 1537…

  This Schizophrenia Prevention and/or Curing Protocol is for people who are ready to take the full responsibility for their own health.

  “The person who says it cannot be done…

Preventive strategies can be divided into universal, selective and indicated prevention and early intervention. Universal interventions are directed to the general population.

Selective approaches are targeted at people who have risk factors…

Research conducted in the past decade indicates that schizophrenia is due to a genetic predisposition and environmental stressors early in a child’s development (during pregnancy and birth, and/or early childhood) which lead to subtle alterations…

Low birth weight has been associated with schizophrenia throughout each era of investigation, but this association is not invariably found, and there was significant heterogeneity in the estimate for low birth weight…

Statistical Power
The effect sizes for the relationship between obstetric risk factors and later schizophrenia are generally small, with odds ratios of less than 2.…

The much-investigated association between obstetric complications and schizophrenia has provided crucial support for developmental and nongenetic etiological models of the disorder. But does such an association really exist? This…

We wear seat belts when we drive in a car,  so that we are protected if we get in an accident.  When we are out in the sun, we wear sunscreen to protect our skin…

Patients with schizophrenia who abuse drugs or alcohol are called dual-diagnosis patients. A dual-diagnosis patient has two diagnoses;  in this case,  schizophrenia and substance abuse.

Research suggests that schizophrenia patients…

On average, about one out of 10 schizophrenic patients commits suicide. The high risk of suicide in schizophrenia is due in large part to the depression and paranoia that characterize the disorder. Some patients…

People who exhibit unpredictable behavior can be frightening.

Likewise, patients with schizophrenia often behave in ways that are difficult to understand and sometimes scary.

Although the media tends to…

Unfortunately,  some of the most severely ill schizophrenia patients leave a safe place like a hospital or private home and eventually live on the streets. One-third of all homeless people are believed to be…

Long before schizophrenia is diagnosed, relatives of someone with the disorder may begin to feel stressed.  Prodromal,  or early, signs of schizophrenia can emerge years before a diagnosis is made. Family members…

Kevin has been in the hospital for six weeks and has improved significantly. The voices are not bothering him anymore and he no longer believes that his coworkers dislike him. Kevin is…

Dr. Talbot is fairly certain that Kevin meets the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia. His hallucinations and delusions are evidence that he is experiencing psychotic behavior. Dr. Talbot believes that his behavior change in…

Typical Antipsychotic Medication

The first medications designed to treat schizophrenia are now called typical antipsychotic medications,  or first-generation antipsychotics. Many of these early medications are still used today, and are helpful…

Many patients must try a variety of medications before finding one that controls their symptoms. This can be a very difficult and frustrating process. Many months or years may pass before a patient begins…