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NIMHSchizophrenia

TheNationalInstituteofMentalHealth:www.nimh.nih.gov

Schizophrenia
Definition
Schizophreniaisachronicandseverementaldisorderthataffectshowapersonthinks,feels,and
behaves.Peoplewithschizophreniamayseemliketheyhavelosttouchwithreality.Although
schizophreniaisnotascommonasothermentaldisorders,thesymptomscanbeverydisabling.

SignsandSymptoms
Symptomsofschizophreniausuallystartbetweenages16and30.Inrarecases,childrenhave
schizophreniatoo.
Thesymptomsofschizophreniafallintothreecategories:positive,negative,andcognitive.
Positivesymptoms:Positivesymptomsarepsychoticbehaviorsnotgenerallyseeninhealthypeople.
Peoplewithpositivesymptomsmaylosetouchwithsomeaspectsofreality.Symptomsinclude:
Hallucinations
Delusions
Thoughtdisorders(unusualordysfunctionalwaysofthinking)
Movementdisorders(agitatedbodymovements)
Negativesymptoms:Negativesymptomsareassociatedwithdisruptionstonormalemotionsand
behaviors.Symptomsinclude:
Flataffect(reducedexpressionofemotionsviafacialexpressionorvoicetone)
Reducedfeelingsofpleasureineverydaylife
Difficultybeginningandsustainingactivities
Reducedspeaking
Cognitivesymptoms:Forsomepatients,thecognitivesymptomsofschizophreniaaresubtle,butfor
others,theyaremoresevereandpatientsmaynoticechangesintheirmemoryorotheraspectsof
thinking.Symptomsinclude:
Poorexecutivefunctioning(theabilitytounderstandinformationanduseittomakedecisions)
Troublefocusingorpayingattention
Problemswithworkingmemory(theabilitytouseinformationimmediatelyafterlearningit)

RiskFactors
Thereareseveralfactorsthatcontributetotheriskofdevelopingschizophrenia.
Genesandenvironment:Scientistshavelongknownthatschizophreniasometimesrunsinfamilies.
However,therearemanypeoplewhohaveschizophreniawhodonthaveafamilymemberwiththe
disorderandconversely,manypeoplewithoneormorefamilymemberswiththedisorderwhodonot
developitthemselves.
Scientistsbelievethatmanydifferentgenesmayincreasetheriskofschizophrenia,butthatnosingle
genecausesthedisorderbyitself.Itisnotyetpossibletousegeneticinformationtopredictwhowill
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developschizophrenia.
Scientistsalsothinkthatinteractionsbetweengenesandaspectsoftheindividualsenvironmentare
necessaryforschizophreniatodevelop.Environmentalfactorsmayinvolve:
Exposuretoviruses
Malnutritionbeforebirth
Problemsduringbirth
Psychosocialfactors
Differentbrainchemistryandstructure:Scientiststhinkthatanimbalanceinthecomplex,
interrelatedchemicalreactionsofthebraininvolvingtheneurotransmitters(substancesthatbraincells
usetocommunicatewitheachother)dopamineandglutamate,andpossiblyothers,playsarolein
schizophrenia.
Someexpertsalsothinkproblemsduringbraindevelopmentbeforebirthmayleadtofaultyconnections.
Thebrainalsoundergoesmajorchangesduringpuberty,andthesechangescouldtriggerpsychotic
symptomsinpeoplewhoarevulnerableduetogeneticsorbraindifferences.

TreatmentsandTherapies
Becausethecausesofschizophreniaarestillunknown,treatmentsfocusoneliminatingthesymptomsof
thedisease.Treatmentsinclude:

Antipsychotics
Antipsychoticmedicationsareusuallytakendailyinpillorliquidform.Someantipsychoticsare
injectionsthataregivenonceortwiceamonth.Somepeoplehavesideeffectswhentheystarttaking
medications,butmostsideeffectsgoawayafterafewdays.Doctorsandpatientscanworktogetherto
findthebestmedicationormedicationcombination,andtherightdose.ChecktheU.S.FoodandDrug
Administration(FDA)website:(http://www.fda.gov/),forthelatestinformationonwarnings,patient
medicationguides,ornewlyapprovedmedications.

PsychosocialTreatments
Thesetreatmentsarehelpfulafterpatientsandtheirdoctorfindamedicationthatworks.Learningand
usingcopingskillstoaddresstheeverydaychallengesofschizophreniahelpspeopletopursuetheirlife
goals,suchasattendingschoolorwork.Individualswhoparticipateinregularpsychosocialtreatment
arelesslikelytohaverelapsesorbehospitalized.Formoreinformationonpsychosocialtreatments,see
thePsychotherapieswebpageontheNIMHwebsite.

Coordinatedspecialtycare(CSC)
Thistreatmentmodelintegratesmedication,psychosocialtherapies,casemanagement,family
involvement,andsupportededucationandemploymentservices,allaimedatreducingsymptomsand
improvingqualityoflife.TheNIMHRecoveryAfteranInitialSchizophreniaEpisode(RAISE)research
projectseekstofundamentallychangethetrajectoryandprognosisofschizophreniathroughcoordinated
specialtycaretreatmentintheearlieststagesofthedisorder.RAISEisdesignedtoreducethelikelihood
oflongtermdisabilitythatpeoplewithschizophreniaoftenexperienceandhelpthemleadproductive,
independentlives.

HowcanIhelpsomeoneIknowwithschizophrenia?
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Caringforandsupportingalovedonewithschizophreniacanbehard.Itcanbedifficulttoknowhowto
respondtosomeonewhomakesstrangeorclearlyfalsestatements.Itisimportanttounderstandthat
schizophreniaisabiologicalillness.

Herearesomethingsyoucandotohelpyourlovedone:
Getthemtreatmentandencouragethemtostayintreatment
Rememberthattheirbeliefsorhallucinationsseemveryrealtothem
Tellthemthatyouacknowledgethateveryonehastherighttoseethingstheirownway
Berespectful,supportive,andkindwithouttoleratingdangerousorinappropriatebehavior
Checktoseeifthereareanysupportgroupsinyourarea

JoinaStudy
Clinicaltrialsareresearchstudiesthatlookatnewwaystoprevent,detect,ortreatdiseasesand
conditions,includingschizophrenia.Duringclinicaltrials,treatmentsmightbenewdrugsornew
combinationsofdrugs,newsurgicalproceduresordevices,ornewwaystouseexistingtreatments.The
goalofclinicaltrialsistodetermineifanewtestortreatmentworksandissafe.Althoughindividual
participantsmaybenefitfrombeingpartofaclinicaltrial,participantsshouldbeawarethattheprimary
purposeofaclinicaltrialistogainnewscientificknowledgesothatothersmaybebetterhelpedinthe
future.
Pleasenote:Decisionsaboutwhethertoparticipateinaclinicaltrial,andwhichonesarebestsuitedfor
agivenindividual,arebestmadeincollaborationwithyourlicensedhealthprofessional.

HowdoIfindClinicalTrialsatNIMH/NIH?
ScientistsattheNIHcampusconductresearchonnumerousareasofstudy,includingcognition,genetics,
epidemiology,andpsychiatry.ThestudiestakeplaceattheNIHClinicalCenterinBethesda,Maryland
andrequireregularvisits.Aftertheinitialphoneinterview,youwillcometoanappointmentattheclinic
andmeetwithoneofourclinicians.
FindNIHfundedstudiescurrentlyrecruitingparticipantswithschizophreniabyusingClinicalTrials.gov
(searchschizophrenia)orvisitJoinaStudy:AdultsSchizophrenia.

HowDoIFindaClinicalTrialNearMe?
Tosearchforaclinicaltrialnearyou,youcanvisitClinicalTrials.gov.Thisisasearchableregistryand
resultsdatabaseoffederallyandprivatelysupportedclinicaltrialsconductedintheUnitedStatesand
aroundtheworld.ClinicalTrials.govgivesyouinformationaboutatrial'spurpose,whomayparticipate,
locations,andphonenumberstocallformoredetails.Thisinformationshouldbeusedinconjunction
withadvicefromhealthprofessionals.

LearnMore
FreeBookletsandBrochures
Schizophrenia:Adetailedbookletthatprovidesanoverviewonschizophrenia.Itdescribes
symptoms,riskfactors,andtreatments.Italsocontainsinformationongettinghelpandcoping.
AlsoavailableenEspaol.
WhatisSchizophrenia?Abriefbrochureonschizophreniathatoffersbasicinformationonsigns
andsymptoms,treatment,andfindinghelp.
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ResearchandStatistics
RecoveryAfteranInitialSchizophreniaEpisode(RAISE):TheNIMHlaunchedRAISEisa
largescaleresearchinitiativethatbeganwithtwostudiesexaminingdifferentaspectsof
coordinatedspecialtycare(CSC)treatmentsforpeoplewhowereexperiencingfirstepisode
psychosis.
NIMHSchizophreniaSpectrumDisordersResearchProgram:Thisprogramadministers
fundingtoscientistsdoingresearchintotheorigins,onset,course,andoutcomeofschizophrenia,
schizoaffectivedisorder,andsuchrelatedconditionsasschizotypalandschizoidpersonality
disorders.
SchizophreniaStatistics:Thiswebpageprovidesinformationonthebeststatisticscurrently
availableontheprevalenceandtreatmentofschizophreniaintheU.S.
SchizophreniaClinicalTrialsatNIMH:Adults:ThiswebpagelistsNIMHclinicaltrialsthatare
currentlyrecruitingadultswithschizophrenia.
SchizophreniaClinicalTrialsatNIMH:Children:ThiswebpagelistsNIMHclinicaltrialsthat
arecurrentlyrecruitingchildrenwithschizophrenia.
LastRevised:February2016
Unlessotherwisespecified,NIMHinformationandpublicationsareinthepublicdomainandavailable
forusefreeofcharge.CitationoftheNIMHisappreciated.PleaseseeourCitingNIMHInformation
andPublicationspageformoreinformation.
New!Latestresources/updatesfromNIMHsRAISEproject

ScienceNewsAboutSchizophrenia

CosteffectiveTreatmentforPsychosis

Schizophreniageneticsbreakthrough

BiotypesExcelatParsingPsychosis
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BlogPostsAboutSchizophrenia
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CanWePreventPsychosis?November20,2014
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PubMed:JournalArticlesaboutSchizophrenia

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