[Pathways from initial symptoms to psychiatric treatment in patients with schizophrenia].

Early intervention is essential for improving the long-term prognosis of schizophrenic patients. With the objective of contributing to early treatment in communities in the future, we retrospectively investigated patient data, including the pathway to psychiatric care, the course prior to consultation, and initial symptoms. An interview survey was conducted involving a total of 125 patients receiving treatment for a diagnosis of schizophrenia and 74 family members using two questionnaire sheets to collect data on the pathway to psychiatric care, age at onset, time between onset and the initiation of treatment, initial symptoms, and the necessary information.

A randomized cross-over study of a traditional Japanese medicine (kampo), yokukansan, in the treatment of the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.

The effectiveness and safety of yokukansan (TJ-54), a traditional Japanese medicine (kampo) for the treatment of the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), were evaluated in 106 patients diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease (AD) (including mixed-type dementia) or dementia with Lewy bodies. Patients were randomly assigned to group A (TJ-54 treatment in period I and no treatment in period II; each period lasting 4 wk) or group B (no treatment in period I and TJ-54 treatment in period II). BPSD and cognitive functions were evaluated using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), respectively.