Therapeutic Synergism: Optimal Pharmacotherapy and Psychiatric Rehabilitation to Enhance Functional Outcome in Schizophrenia

Abstract

Despite recent advances in the pharmacologic treatment and psychiatric rehabilitation of people with chronic schizophrenia, there exist serious impediments to the maximal utilization of these techniques. Standard antipsychotic treatment is effective in controlling acute exacerbations of schizophrenia, reducing positive psychotic symptoms, and reducing the frequency of relapse. In contrast, psychiatric rehabilitation is effective in ameliorating some of the negative symptoms, behavioral dysfunction, and cognitive dysfunction in even the most severely affected patients with this disorder. Given the lack of relationship between these clusters of symptoms, it is imperative that these approaches be optimized in the delivery of care to people with schizophrenia.