Schizophrenia treatment has significantly evolved since Nobel Laureate John Nash was initially treated with electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) and insulin coma “therapies” in the 50-60’s — as portrayed in the movie, A Beautiful Mind. Now, the ultimate goals of schizophrenia clinical management are to reduce or eliminate all associated symptoms, improve socio-behavioral functioning, foster reintegration into society, prevent the relapse of psychotic episodes, and treat or prevent (further) co-morbidity. Clinicians employ a combination of pharmacological (neuroleptic) and psychosocial interventions according to the vulnerability-stress-coping model. The first line of coping is usually medicinal options for the suppression of symptoms and control of disturbed behavior. Psychosocial modalities contribute to improve patient insight and compliance, while promoting the development and implementation of personal goals. Read more →

Schizophrenia is a multifaceted disorder that manifests by both genetic and environmental factors. A plethora of twin and adoption studies suggest major genetic influences on the pathogenesis of schizophrenia; however, a MZ concordance of 50% also suggests environmental factors (Cardno et al., 1999). [Note, a concordance of 100%, or absolute probability that both "identical" twins are afflicted or not, would suggest a single gene disorder, as in sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis.] These family studies reveal that schizophrenia is a complex genetic disorder, akin to diabetes and most cancers, where not but multiple causative genes contribute to susceptibility — a polygenetic disease. Moreover, there are presumably environmental factors that contribute to the onset. Read more →

Psychosis involves a disconnection with reality and perceptions outside the range of normality. Moreover, it is the common multifaceted symptom of psychotic disorders often accompanied by behavioral abnormalities and cognitive impairments. In fact, such characteristics are used to differentially classify conditions. Not only do these special illnesses require substantial medical care, but clinical management involves multidimensional schemata pursuant to the biopsychosocial model. Read more →

Ancient Asian medicine has long linked emotions and intention to health, however, Western medicine has been less receptive to devising a relationship. Recent lines of psychological studies demonstrate that the way people think, act, and feel about certain situations, events, and ideas greatly influence health behaviors and are represented in the biopsychosocial model of health and illness.

The latest trend in personality psychology has been “positive” psychology. In general, certain personality factors are known to lead to good and bad health (see table below). Optimism, extraversion, conscientiousness, and an internal locus of control have lead to healthy behaviors. Read more →

In behavioral medicine, professionals base their interventions on a few models that attempt to explain people’s health-related behavior: the health belief model, reasoned and planned behavior theory, learning theories/classical conditioning, and social cognitive theory. These models are termed continuum theories, for they aim to recognize variables that influence people’s behavior, and using the sum of variables, how likely the person will engage in a particular behavior (Weinstein, Rothman, & Sutton, 1998). They are often criticized on their narrow focus on outcome behavior of interest (e.g. smoking cession) and its non-inclusion of race, gender, and socioeconomic status — all features known to have a somewhat strong influence on health behavior. Nonetheless, the model dynamics are useful to describe particular types of behavior. Read more →

Many health care organizations have integrated the essential findings of health psychology in the form of behavioral medicine – a multidisciplinary field concerned with behavioral and social aspects of medical conditions. The aim is to erase the lines between mental health and physical health and promote the notion that they are indivisible and inherently linked aspects of wellbeing, namely, on the basic premise that behaviors influence physical health. Read more →