The course of the disease varies from one patient to the next. Although there is no cure, new drugs are offering significant hope for improving the patient's life. Progression and Long-Term Outlook Symptoms of schizophrenia can appear either gradually or sudden. In up to a third of patients, the disease is unrelenting and progresses from the first episode onward. In others, schizophrenia follows a fluctuating course with psychotic flare-ups, followed by remissions.
Women are more likely to go into remission, possibly because of estrogen's effects on the brain.
Psychosis, disorganized thought, and negative symptoms often improve over time, although, even in such cases, deficits in verbal memory usually persist. Studies indicate that after 20 to 30 years, half of schizophrenic patients are able to care for themselves, work, and participate socially. Support services and appropriate housing improve this outcome. This information is brought to you by Well Connected . You may order this complete guide or choose to subscribe to the complete library covering over 90 health and mental health problems.