Schizophrenia Bulletin Advance Access originally published online on February 15, 2006
Schizophrenia Bulletin 2006 32(2):199; doi:10.1093/schbul/sbj062
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Editorial
Clinicians have long recognized the clinical importance of negative symptoms in schizophrenia and their deleterious effects on the day-to-day living of our patients. The large magnitude of their impact on the overall burden of illness is compounded by inadequate responsiveness of these symptoms to the available treatments. Brian Kirkpatrick has organized an exciting set of papers on this topic, including a consensus statement coming out of the Consensus Development Conference sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Several articles in the special theme issue describe the phenomenology, assessment methods, and cognitive and information-processing deficits associated with this domain of psychopathology. A set of articles on the treatment of negative symptoms provides views on future prospects, as well as perspectives from the industry and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The lead regular article in the current issue is by John Bola and examines the question of whether short, medication-free periods for research purposes in early episode schizophrenia result in demonstrable long-term harm. The article is based on a meta-analysis of published studies carried out in the first- or second-episode patients. Several investigators, as well as bioethicists and a patient advocate, provide insightful commentaries on this important topic. Other regular articles present data on diverse topics such as assessments of symptoms, cognition, brain structure, research methods, and treatment.
As indicated by the previous editorials, we aim to bring forward timely and relevant theme issues and are calling for original data papers related to these themes. The October 2006 issue will focus on two themes: characterization of at-risk individuals, and substance abuse and dual diagnosis. Deadline for submission for data papers related to these topics is April 25, 2006. Manuscripts describing associations between genotype and alternative phenotypes of schizophrenia are sought for the winter 2007 issue, with the submission deadline of July 25, 2006. The winter 2007 issue will also cover manuscripts related to philosophy and psychopathology. The spring 2007 issue will focus on prodrome and early intervention strategies; the submission deadline for the related data papers is October 24, 2006. Submission of data papers related to metabolic issues in schizophrenia will be accepted up to December 22, 2006, for the summer 2007 publication. Accepted manuscripts are published online soon after the acceptance of the paper before the print publication.
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