The Neurodevelopmental Basis Of Schizophrenia

This book provides a critical update and synthesis of contemporary evidence for schizophrenia as a brain disease of early, neurodevelopmental origin; it does this through contributions from leading authorities in this field who work at multiple levels of biological and epidemiological enquiry. The work seeks both to integrate this evolving body of evidence and to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the neurodevelopmental model.

An international team of leading researchers and clinicians here provide a comprehensive, epidemiological overview of this multi-faceted and still perplexing disorder, and address some of the key questions it raises. How important in the genetic contribution to schizophrenia? Do pregnancy and birth complications increase the risk for schizophrenia? Is the incidence of schizophrenia changing? Why is the rate higher among immigrants and in those born in cities? Controversial issues such as the validity of discrete or dimensional classifications of schizophrenia and the continuum between psychosis and 'normality' are explored in depth, and separate chapters are devoted to topics of particular relevance to schizophrenia such as suicide, violence and substance abuse. Finally, new prospects for treatment and prevention are considered. Drawing together the findings from social, genetic, developmental and classical epidemiology of schizophrenia, this text will prove an invaluable resource for clinicians and researchers.

The Neurobiology of Schizophrenia begins with an overview of the various facets and levels of schizophrenia pathophysiology, ranging systematically from its genetic basis over changes in neurochemistry and electrophysiology to a systemic neural circuits level. When possible, the editors point out connections between the various systems. The editors also depict methods and research strategies used in the respective field. The individual backgrounds of the two editors promote a synthesis between basic neuroscience and clinical relevance. Provides a comprehensive overview of neurobiological aspects of schizophrenia Discusses schizophrenia at behavioral, cognitive, clinical, electrophysiological, molecular, and genetic levels Edited by a translational researcher and a psychiatrist to promote synthesis between basic neuroscience and clinical relevance Elucidates connections between the various systems depicted, when possible

What is schizophrenia? This is one of the most controversial questions in psychiatry and mental health research; however, in the last twenty years, there have been significant advances in our understanding of the topic. This book provides a balanced, comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the neuropathology of schizophrenia and its interpretation, covering the latest evidence derived from all fields of research, from brain scans to microscopy. The authors include many of the foremost international authorities in this rapidly developing field.

This is a major international textbook for psychiatrists and other professionals working in the field of mental healthcare. With contributions from opinion-leaders from around the globe, this book will appeal to those in training as well as to those further along the career path seeking a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of effective clinical practice backed by research evidence. The book is divided into cohesive sections moving from coverage of the tools and skills of the trade, through descriptions of the major psychiatric disorders and on to consider special topics and issues surrounding service organization. The final important section provides a comprehensive review of treatments covering all of the major modalities. Previously established as the Essentials of Postgraduate Psychiatry, this new and completely revised edition is the only book to provide this depth and breadth of coverage in an accessible, yet authoritative manner.

This book was originally published in 2004 and concerns developmental neurobiology. In the decade preceding publication, developmental neurobiology made important strides towards elucidating the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. Nowhere has this link between basic science and clinical insights become clearer than in the field of schizophrenia research. Each contributor to this volume provides a fresh overview of the relevant research, including directions for further investigation. The book begins with a section on advances in developmental neurobiology. This is followed by sections on etiological and pathophysiological developments, and models that integrate this knowledge. The final section addresses the clinical insights that emerge from the developmental models. This book will be valuable to researchers in psychiatry and neurobiology, students in psychology, and all mental health practitioners.

Brain disordersâ€"neurological, psychiatric, and developmentalâ€"now affect at least 250 million people in the developing world, and this number is expected to rise as life expectancy increases. Yet public and private health systems in developing countries have paid relatively little attention to brain disorders. The negative attitudes, prejudice, and stigma that often surround many of these disorders have contributed to this neglect. Lacking proper diagnosis and treatment, millions of individual lives are lost to disability and death. Such conditions exact both personal and economic costs on families, communities, and nations. The report describes the causes and risk factors associated with brain disorders. It focuses on six representative brain disorders that are prevalent in developing countries: developmental disabilities, epilepsy, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and stroke. The report makes detailed recommendations of ways to reduce the toll exacted by these six disorders. In broader strokes, the report also proposes six major strategies toward reducing the overall burden of brain disorders in the developing world.

Schizophrenia is one of the most complex and puzzling diseases to affect mankind. It is the most common of the severe mental illnesses (psychoses) with an estimated prevalence of 0.5 - 1% in the general population and accounts for a very large portion of the day to day workload of the average psychiatrist. 50% of long-term psychiatric patients in mental hospitals are schizophrenic. There is a great deal of controversy about the causes, diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia with the consequence that a huge amount of research is carried out in the field by psychiatrists, psychologists, neuroscientists and pharmacologists. For the average practising psychiatrist seeing schizophrenics on a regular basis, making sense of the vast body of information on the subject and filtering out what is of clinical relevance can be very difficult. There is a constant stream of new drugs emerging and the newer generation of drugs (the so-called atypicals) is very effective, but often expensive. The Editors (one American and one British) are both highly respected clinical psychiatrists who are probably the leading experts on schizophrenia from their respective countries and jointly have published almost 150 papers on the subject. They have brought together a strong group of contributors from the USA, UK and Europe to produce what will be an essential reference for the trainee and practising psychiatrist. The book consists of four sections; descriptive aspects, causative aspects, physical treatments and psychological/behavioural/social treatments. There will be discussion of the theoretical controversies over symptomatology, classification and aetiology, the relationship of schizophrenia to the other psychoses, the significance of positive and negative symptoms and pre-morbid personality. There will be chapters on organic models of schiziophrenia, neurodevelopmental, genetic and structural studies and the role of high-expressed emotion. The final section will cover social and environmental treatment, the role of the families of schizophrenics and the psychoanalytical therapies. There is a new chapter on the patient's perspective written by a former patient.