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The course of psychosis in early phases of schizophrenia

Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.142.6.702

To study the course of psychosis in early schizophrenia, the authors assessed 111 patients at hospitalization and at one or two follow-ups. The course of psychosis was analyzed separately for broad (DSM-II) and narrow (DSM-III) concepts of schizophrenia. The patients diagnosed with DSM-II improved in psychosis between the first and second follow-ups. Those also diagnosed with DSM-III showed more persistent psychosis; 40% were psychotic at both follow-ups. A subgroup of patients showed improvement in psychosis even after several years of sustained symptoms. The authors discuss the implications of the data for views about the persistence of psychotic symptoms.

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