Negative symptoms in first episode non-affective psychosis.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of negative symptoms and to examine secondary sources of influence on negative symptoms and the role of specific negative symptoms in delay associated with seeking treatment in first episode non-affective psychosis.

Method: One hundred and ten patients who met Diagnostic Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-IV) criteria for a first episode of schizophrenia spectrum psychoses were rated for assessment of negative, positive, depressive and extrapyramidal symptoms, the premorbid adjustment scale and assessment of demographic and clinical characteristics including duration of untreated psychosis (DUP).

Results: Alogia/flat affect and avolition/anhedonia were strongly influenced by parkinsonian and depressive symptoms, respectively.

One year outcome in first episode psychosis: influence of DUP and other predictors.

Background: A number of studies have reported evidence of a relationship between longer duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and poorer outcome at 1 year while others have failed to find such evidence. It is possible that several other predictors may confound this relationship and there may be different predictors for different dimensions of outcome. In the current study we examined relationship between DUP and several other predictors, and 1 year outcome on rate and level of remission as well as level of positive, negative, depressive and anxiety symptoms in a community cohort of first episode psychosis patients.