Volume 7 Issue 5 May, 2017
Schizophrenia – A time line
If there is one disorder that flashes in mind soon after the term psychiatry or mental health is heard, it would be schizophrenia, for it has been occupying central space in psychiatry practice and research. The concept has evolved along with the development of psychiatry as a medical specialty, more so during last 2 centuries. Since ages, mental illnesses were just termed as madness or insanity and were thought to be caused by supernatural or demonic forces. Noticeable attempts to classify and describe begun late in 18th century when affective disorders with bipolar and depressive disorders, thought disorders such as schizophrenia like illnesses and behavioral disorders were described. Emil Kraeplin described schizophrenia as dementia praecox and in 1911, Eugene Bleuler coined the term Schizophrenia which literally means split mind that actually intended to signify dissociated functions of mind like thinking, perceptions, personality. The advent of discovery of Chlorpromazine in 1954 brought in the neurochemical theories and an impetus to earlier thought brain based or biological etiologies. Then came a flurry of evidences in genetic, immunological and neurodevelopmental hypotheses. Prodromal stages are being identified and prospects of primary prevention are at the horizons. Despite all these, growing evidences has been diversifying and broadening the construct of schizophrenia as not just a single disorder but a group of disorders which has resulted in classifying this under the rubric of schizophrenia spectrum disorders in recent DSM – 5. The comprehensive management, however remains challenging especially in severe cases and stigma continues to prevail. With this background, every May 24th is observed as World Schizophrenia day to enhance awareness and explore the options to tackle the problems faced in managing these disorders.
BMCH&RC, Chitradurga (Karnataka)
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