Schizophrenia Treatment

There have been many advances in schizophrenia research

Brain imaging revolutionized medical research on schizophrenia. Until brain imaging technology was invented, the medical world knew very little about schizophrenia, because there was so little understanding of how the brain operates. Now that it's easier to study the brain, scientists have found many differences between brains of people with schizophrenia and those without. These discoveries have helped doctors know more about the nature and course of the illness and how treatable schizophrenia actually is.

Schizophrenia is not curable, but can be managed with effective treatment

Treatment for schizophrenia must necessarily address both biological and psychological issues. Biological issues are addressed with medications, while psychological issues are addressed with psychotherapy.

Dramatic advances have been made since the late 1980s in developing drugs to treat schizophrenia due to research innovations as described above. Some of these medications include antipsychotic drugs such as clozapine, risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, aripiprazole and azenapine. Such medications, when supplemented with effective psychotherapy, have helped tens of thousands of people with schizophrenia experience productive and rewarding lives.

Even more recently, special forms of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have been developed that can reduce the intensity of positive symptoms, such as hallucinations, that do not respond well to medication. These new therapies are growing in popularity, and are being tested for their effects in patients who are in very early stages of the illness.