Early intervention in psychosis: the critical-period hypothesis

The early phase of psychosis may be considered as a critical period that offers major opportunities for secondary prevention of impairments and disabilities accompanying psychosis. Prospective studies of first-episode schizophrenics support the critical period hypothesis and indicate that progression, where it occurs, does so early in the disorder, with patients reaching a relatively stable plateau within 2 years of the first psychotic episode. This suggests a window of opportunity for secondary prevention. Particular intervention strategies may be appropriate early in the disorder, such as early detection and prevention of relapse and cognitive therapy within an acute psychotic episode to reduce early treatment resistance. (C) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.