No convincing evidence suggests that atypical antipsychotic medications are superior to typical medications for the treatment of adolescents with psychosis .
However , atypical antipsychotic medications may be more acceptable to young people because fewer symptomatic adverse effects are seen in the short term .
Little evidence is available to support the superiority of one atypical antipsychotic medication over another , but side effect profiles are different for different medications .
Treatment with olanzapine , risperidone and clozapine is often associated with weight gain .
Aripiprazole is not associated with increased prolactin or with dyslipidaemia .
Adolescents may respond better to st and ard-dose as opposed to lower-dose risperidone , but for aripiprazole and ziprasidone , lower doses may be equally effective .
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia often presents in adolescence , but current treatment guidelines are based largely on studies of adults with psychosis .
Over the past decade , the number of studies on treatment of adolescent-onset psychosis has increased .
The current systematic review collates and critiques evidence obtained on the use of various atypical antipsychotic medications for adolescents with psychosis .
OBJECTIVES To investigate the effects of atypical antipsychotic medications in adolescents with psychosis .
We review ed in separate analyses various comparisons of atypical antipsychotic medications with placebo or a typical antipsychotic medication or another atypical antipsychotic medication or the same atypical antipsychotic medication but at a lower dose .
Are the effects of cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) durable? Results from an exploratory trial in schizophrenia
BACKGROUND This paper investigates the durability of the effects of cognitive remediation therapy ( CRT ) . In a r and omised control trial , CRT was compared with a control therapy ( intensive occupational therapy activities ) , matched for length of therapist contact . The main three cognitive outcomes , ( i ) number of categories achieved on the Wisconsin Card Sort Test , ( ii ) age-scaled score on the Digit Span subtest of the WAIS-R , and ( iii ) mean number of moves on the Tower of London test , were chosen because they are known to be problematic in schizophrenia . In addition , a wide variety of other outcomes ( symptoms , social functioning , self-esteem and cognition ) were assessed . At the end of treatment , CRT conferred a benefit to people with schizophrenia in cognition and self-esteem [ Schizophr . Bull . 25 ( 1999 ) 291 ] . This study investigates these outcomes 6 months after the therapies were withdrawn . METHOD Participants were assessed at baseline , posttreatment and 6-month follow-up ( n=17 for the CRT group ; n=16 for the control therapy group ) . In addition to the functioning measures , data on use of services and cost of therapy were collected . RESULTS The effects of CRT on cognition were still apparent at follow-up , particularly in the memory domain . When these cognitive improvements reached a criterion threshold , there were also improvements in social behaviour and symptoms . The gains made in self-esteem disappeared following the withdrawal of therapy . The economic analysis showed overall reductions in the care packages of both patient groups but there was a significant increase in day-care costs for patients who have received CRT . This additional use of day care may confer further advantages to the  CRT group , such as improved social functioning and quality of life . CONCLUSIONS The overall results of this first trial of a novel CRT approach have produced encouraging results which merit further investigation
No convincing evidence suggests that atypical antipsychotic medications are superior to typical medications for the treatment of adolescents with psychosis .
However , atypical antipsychotic medications may be more acceptable to young people because fewer symptomatic adverse effects are seen in the short term .
Little evidence is available to support the superiority of one atypical antipsychotic medication over another , but side effect profiles are different for different medications .
Treatment with olanzapine , risperidone and clozapine is often associated with weight gain .
Aripiprazole is not associated with increased prolactin or with dyslipidaemia .
Adolescents may respond better to st and ard-dose as opposed to lower-dose risperidone , but for aripiprazole and ziprasidone , lower doses may be equally effective .
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia often presents in adolescence , but current treatment guidelines are based largely on studies of adults with psychosis .
Over the past decade , the number of studies on treatment of adolescent-onset psychosis has increased .
The current systematic review collates and critiques evidence obtained on the use of various atypical antipsychotic medications for adolescents with psychosis .
OBJECTIVES To investigate the effects of atypical antipsychotic medications in adolescents with psychosis .
We review ed in separate analyses various comparisons of atypical antipsychotic medications with placebo or a typical antipsychotic medication or another atypical antipsychotic medication or the same atypical antipsychotic medication but at a lower dose .