Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie
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Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr · Jun 1999
Review[Pharmacologic and cognitive therapy treatment strategies in in persistent negative schizophrenic symptoms].
Negative symptoms are a cofeature of schizophrenia which constitute a severe burden on relatives as well as on the patient himself. Novel (atypical) antipsychotic drugs unlike conventional antipsychotics cause substantial progress in the treatment of negative symptoms. Methodological flaws in recent studies which evaluate the effectiveness of neuroleptics in negative symptoms are being discussed critically. ⋯ Progress in early intervention strategies [42] are therefore of outstanding interest. Main barriers to effective treatment have to be considered: noncompliance (and side-effects) of medication, repeated relapse, "treatment resistance", negative symptoms, and neurocognitive deficits. These factors indicate the need to favour integrated treatment approaches in which drugs and psychosocial strategies can be combined in a manner that maximizes the potential synergism.