Cognitive impairment is a core symptom of schizophrenia that has been linked to poor functional outcome, and it is therefore important to recognize and treat it.

This presentation will review the nature, significance and course of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia and explain developments in behavioral treatments to improve cognition. Cognitive remediation is a behavioral intervention consisting of training activities that aim to target a range of cognitive impairments, with the ultimate intent of improving functional outcome.

In this course, you will learn about the common principles of cognitive remediation for schizophrenia and the empirical support for doing cognitive remediation. Research on the variables affecting treatment outcomes will be reviewed, and a case example will be presented to demonstrate how cognitive remediation can be integrated into clinical practice.

Schizophrenia is a chronic illness refractory to cure that causes untold suffering for patients and their families. The first episode of psychosis occurs in adolescence and young adulthood, but prior to this time there typically is a prodromal period of a few years that is characterized by attenuated or subthreshold psychotic symptoms, negative symptoms, mild cognitive deficits, and social and other functional impairment. There is an effort underway to identify youths at heightened clinical risk for schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders during a putative prodromal period.

In this course, you will learn about the phenomenology of the psychosis risk syndrome, its operationalized criteria, candidate biomarkers of psychosis risk, and the emerging literature on pharmacological and psychological strategies for preventing psychosis and treating concurrent symptoms and functional impairment.

Schizophrenia is often treated with medication alone, and talk therapy approaches are not considered. In this roundtable discussion, Course Director Philip R. Muskin, MD, leads a discussion with presenters Alice Medalia, PhD, and Cheryl Corcoran, MD, that challenges this traditional view.

Drs. Medalia and Corcoran discuss the importance of an integrated approach to treatment, and talk about case studies that show that cognitive behavioral therapy and lifestyle coaching can be successful in dealing with the wide range of psychological and social issues faced by patients with schizophrenia. Addressing low self-esteem, social isolation, difficulty coping, and high stress levels can affect the symptoms and course of schizophrenia.

Information is offered to help practitioners find or start psycho-education programs. Listeners are encouraged to e-mail questions, which will be answered and posted on this website once a month.