First-episode psychosis: An update
Authors: Chiliza Bonga , Oosthuizen Piet , Emsley Robin 
Published: June 2017

<div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 404.406px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.947259);" data-canvas-width="386.4817499999998">Interest in the subject of first-episode psychosis has increased</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 427.746px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00913);" data-canvas-width="386.4972000000001">considerably in the last two decades. At present, a number</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 451.086px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.985844);" data-canvas-width="386.45084999999995">of centres around the world focus on early identification</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 474.426px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.08263);" data-canvas-width="386.49719999999996">and intervention in people with psychotic disorders.</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 497.766px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.02511);" data-canvas-width="386.46629999999993">Researchers have focused particularly on people who are</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 521.106px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.01431);" data-canvas-width="386.45084999999995">possibly experiencing the prodromal phase of the illness in</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 544.446px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.04455);" data-canvas-width="386.48175000000003">the hope that, by instituting appropriate early intervention,</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 567.786px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.983414);" data-canvas-width="386.48175000000003">the outcome of schizophrenia will be improved. Patients</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 591.126px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.996087);" data-canvas-width="386.4817499999999">with first-episode psychosis present with different symptom</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 614.466px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.03325);" data-canvas-width="386.43539999999996">domains that should be taken into account when planning</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 637.806px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.03598);" data-canvas-width="386.41995">treatment. Most patients initially respond to treatment;</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 661.146px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.02223);" data-canvas-width="386.4045">however, there is a high rate of relapse within a few years.</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 684.486px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.02236);" data-canvas-width="386.4508500000001">It is therefore important that we continue to seek improved</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 707.826px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.03872);" data-canvas-width="386.4044999999999">relapse prevention strategies. There has also been a</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 731.166px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.958897);" data-canvas-width="386.43539999999985">resurgence of interest in psychosocial risk factors for the</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 754.506px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.04442);" data-canvas-width="386.43539999999996">development of schizophrenia in the recent literature.</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 777.846px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.998581);" data-canvas-width="386.4508499999999">We review the literature on first-episode psychosis and</div><div style="left: 80.7408px; top: 801.186px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.03689);" data-canvas-width="211.52594999999988">highlight the significant findings.</div>