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New therapies help people with schizophrenia – but access is woefully inadequate
Cognitive remediation and related therapies improve memory and daily functioning, but a WHO report says roughly two-thirds of patients receive no specialized care.
The World Health Organization reported that cognitive therapies improve daily functioning for people with schizophrenia, yet limited access prevents many from receiving specialized care.
Emil Kraepelin, a German psychiatrist, first described schizophrenia in 1899 under the label "dementia praecox." The DSM's diagnostic criteria today still rely on signs Kraepelin identified more than 125 years ago.
Studies show cognitive remediation techniques improve memory and problem-solving in more than 100 controlled trials. Training in social cognitive skills teaches people with schizophrenia to think more flexibly and understand their world differently.
While approximately 40% of diagnosed individuals have mild or no symptoms, schizophrenia remains a leading cause of disability, affecting roughly 1 in 5 homeless people and 15% of U.S. state prison inmates.
Unfortunately, many people with schizophrenia globally do not receive specialized treatment. Until these therapies become more accessible, improvements in daily functioning will remain poorer than they should be.