Biological and Clinical Aspects of the Treatment of Schizophrenia and Related Disorders: Second Edition

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 2116

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Mental Health, Mutua Terrassa University Hospital, University of Barcelona, 08221 Terrassa, Spain
2. Neurosciences Institute, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, CIBERSAM, 08221 Terrassa, Spain
Interests: schizophrenia; psychosis; affective disorder; psychoneuroendocrinology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

For several decades, the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia has appeared to explain the neurobiology of the disorder, the biological underpinnings of treatment response, and the primary mechanism of action in antipsychotic responses. However, a significant volume of research suggests that other biological and neurotransmitter systems are implicated. Patients with schizophrenia exhibit marked positive and negative symptoms, as well as present cognitive symptoms and affective domains. Although antipsychotics are considered the gold standard, preclinical and clinical studies report that almost one-third of patients with schizophrenia fail to respond to standard antipsychotic treatment.

The present Special Issue aims to summarize new evidence pertaining to the role of biological systems interacting with dopamine and other neurotransmitters, and their implication in the occurrence of psychotic symptoms and treatment responses. The role of stress hormones and other hormonal compounds in the clinical presentation (phenotype) and response to treatment will also be explored. Articles presenting evidence regarding the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions in treating schizophrenia and related disorders are also welcome, with a special emphasis on treatments targeting emotions and cognitive symptoms. The impact of physical health on psychotic symptoms and vice versa is also a topic of interest in psychotic populations.

Dr. Jose Antonio Monreal
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • psychosis
  • neurobiology
  • clinical phenotypes
  • treatment outcomes

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

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12 pages, 302 KiB  
Review
Grappling with Issues of Motherhood for Women with Schizophrenia
by Mary V. Seeman
Healthcare 2023, 11(21), 2882; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/healthcare11212882 - 2 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1238
Abstract
Despite the fact that most persons with schizophrenia find steady employment difficult to sustain, many women with this diagnosis embrace and fulfill the most difficult task of all—motherhood. The aim of this paper is to specify the challenges of motherhood in this population [...] Read more.
Despite the fact that most persons with schizophrenia find steady employment difficult to sustain, many women with this diagnosis embrace and fulfill the most difficult task of all—motherhood. The aim of this paper is to specify the challenges of motherhood in this population and review the treatment strategies needed to keep mothers and children safe, protecting health and fostering growth. The review addresses concerns that had been brought to the author’s earlier attention during her clinical involvement with an outpatient clinic for women with psychosis. It is, thus, a non-systematic, narrative review of topic areas subjectively assessed as essential to “good enough” mothering in the context of schizophrenia. Questions explored are the stigma against motherhood in this population, mothers’ painful choices, issues of contraception, abortion, child custody, foster care and kin placement of children, the effects of antipsychotics, specific perinatal delusional syndromes, and, finally, the availability of parental support. This review is intended for clinicians. Recommendations are that care providers work collaboratively with mothers, take note of their strengths as well as their failings, offer a wide array of family services, monitor households closely for safety and for treatment adherence, appreciating the many challenges women with schizophrenia face daily. Full article

Other

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16 pages, 5098 KiB  
Systematic Review
Effects of Visual Art Therapy on Positive Symptoms, Negative Symptoms, and Emotions in Individuals with Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Shih-Cing Du, Chih-Yen Li, Ya-Yun Lo, Yu-Hsuan Hu, Chi-Wei Hsu, Chung-Yin Cheng, Tzu-Ting Chen, Pei-Hsuan Hung, Pao-Yen Lin and Chyi-Rong Chen
Healthcare 2024, 12(11), 1156; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/healthcare12111156 - 6 Jun 2024
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Abstract
Schizophrenia is characterized by psychiatric symptoms and emotional issues. While pharmacological treatments have limitations, non-pharmacological interventions are essential. Art therapy has the potential to enhance emotional expression, communication, and health; however, the effectiveness of visual art therapy remains uncertain. This systematic review and [...] Read more.
Schizophrenia is characterized by psychiatric symptoms and emotional issues. While pharmacological treatments have limitations, non-pharmacological interventions are essential. Art therapy has the potential to enhance emotional expression, communication, and health; however, the effectiveness of visual art therapy remains uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizes the findings of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of visual art therapy on positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and emotions in patients with schizophrenia. This study reviews RCTs published prior to February, 2024. The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CEPS, CNKI, Wanfang, and Yiigle databases were searched, and three independent researchers screened the studies. In this meta-analysis, standardized mean difference (SMD) was employed as a measure to calculate effect sizes for continuous variables using a random effects model, while the meta-regression and subgroup analyses were performed with patient and intervention characteristics. A total of 31 studies revealed visual art therapy had a significant small-to-moderate effect on positive symptoms (SMD = 0.407, 95% CI 0.233 to 0.581), a moderate effect on negative symptoms (SMD = 0.697, 95% CI 0.514 to 0.880), a moderate effect on depression (SMD = 0.610, 95% CI 0.398 to 0.821), and a large effect on anxiety (SMD = 0.909, 95% CI 0.386 to 1.433). The subgroup analysis revealed painting and handcrafts had significant effects on positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and emotions. Combined Chinese calligraphy and painting had significant effects on positive symptoms, depression, and anxiety. Better improvement was noted among the Asian population, and a longer weekly treatment duration was associated with better improvement in positive symptoms. Female participants tended to have more improvements in negative symptoms and anxiety through visual art therapy. The results indicate that visual art therapy has positive effects on the psychiatric symptoms and emotions of individuals with schizophrenia. We recommend future research further investigate art therapy modalities and durations. Full article
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