Managing Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is one of the most severe psychiatric disorders, carrying with it significant stigma and a number of debilitating symptoms. While material on its "positive" symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, is readily available, its "negative" symptoms, which present heterogeneously as deficits across a variety of domains, are not nearly so well-documented and often go undiagnosed with no effective treatment. Given the poor functioning and outcomes which occur as a result of these symptoms, it is imperative they receive greater focus.

Part of the Oxford Psychiatry Library (OPL) series, this concise pocketbook provides readers with a comprehensive overview of the definition, evaluation, and treatment of negative symptoms. Written by experts in the field, with key points at the beginning of each chapter for quick reference, this is an invaluable resource for any mental health care professional working with individuals affected by schizophrenia.

Istv?n Bitter, Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary

Istv?n Bitter, MD., PhD., DSc. is Professor of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary. A graduate of Semmelweis University, he is board-certified as a Specialist in Neurology, Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Clinical Pharmacology. He worked in Austria and Germany, and was visiting professor at the New York University Department of Psychiatry and research scientist at N.S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research in the USA. His current research focuses on schizophrenia, ADHD, clinical psychopharmacology, and epidemiology, including the use of "real world data". Dr. Bitter is a founding member of the European Group for Research in Schizophrenia, co-chair of the ECNP Network for Schizophrenia, chair of the EPA Section of Psychopharmacology, and a member of the Executive Board of the National Brain Research Program in Hungary.

1. Definition and measurement of negative symptoms in schizophrenia, Istv?n Bitter
2. Basic symptoms in deficit states and their relation to negative symptoms, Frauke Schultze-Lutter
3. Long-term course of negative symptoms in schizophrenia, Anatoly Smulevich and Dmitry Romanov
4. The patients view: Self-evaluation of negative symptoms, Sonia Dollfus and Anais Vandevelde
5. Pharmacologic treatment of negative symptoms: focus on efficacy, Istvan Bitter and P?l Czobor
6. Psychosocial/non-pharmacologic treatment of negative symptoms: focus on efficacy, Mark Savill