Has the prevalence, clinical presentation and social functioning of schizophrenia changed over the last 25 years? Nithsdale schizophrenia survey revisited.

Background: Major changes in the treatment of schizophrenia have taken place in recent years, including a shift from inpatient to community care, and the introduction of second-generation antipsychotics and psychosocial interventions. Recent evidence has questioned the superiority of these interventions over older treatments.

Aims: We wished to ascertain the impact of changes in the treatment of schizophrenia in a geographically-defined area, focusing on clinical symptoms and psychosocial outcome.

Nicotine dependence and illness severity in schizophrenia.

Background: Reasons for the increased prevalence of cigarette smoking in schizophrenia are unclear. Studies assessing clinical symptoms have sampled heterogeneous populations, with discrepant findings.

Aims: To examine the relationship between clinical features, social adjustment and nicotine dependence in a geographically defined population of people with schizophrenia.

Tardive dyskinesia and deficit schizophrenia.

Objective: Despite comparable antipsychotic exposure, some patients experience involuntary movements yet others do not. Negative symptoms have been associated with tardive dyskinesia (TD), but it is not certain whether this is an association with primary negative symptoms or the effects of medications. The aim of the present study was to determine whether patients with deficit schizophrenia (who have primary negative symptoms) are more likely to experience TD than those with non-deficit schizophrenia.

Low prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome in never-treated chronic schizophrenia.

Introduction: Antipsychotic medication and lifestyle factors are implicated in the high rates of obesity and metabolic syndrome in schizophrenia. While the two Consensus Statements made in 2004 concluded they were unclear whether psychiatric disorders per se accounted for increased prevalence of metabolic disorders several later studies have presented the case for an association between schizophrenia and metabolic disorders, especially impaired glucose metabolism and Type 2 diabetes mellitus, independent of antipsychotic drug treatment.

Methods: This is a comparative study of 51 patients with chronic schizophrenia who never received antipsychotic drug treatment and 51 healthy controls.