Schizophrenia A Very Short Introduction

by Frith, Christopher; Johnstone, Eve

• ISBN13: 9780192802217
• ISBN10: 0192802216
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-09-25
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Schizophrenia is the archetypal form of madness. Schizophrenia is a common disorder and has a devastating effect on sufferers and their families-patients typically hear voices in their heads and hold bizarre beliefs. The schizophrenic patient presented to the public in sensational pressreports and lurid films bears little resemblance to reality of the illness. This book describes what schizophrenia is really like, how the illness progresses, and the treatments that have been applied. It also summarizes the most up-to-date knowledge available about the biological bases of thisdisorder. Finally it attempts to give some idea of what it is like to have schizophrenia and what this disorder tells us about the relationship between mind and brain.

Author Biography

Chris Frith FRS is Professor in Neuropsychology at University College London and deputy director of the Functional Imaging Laboratory at the Institute of Neurology. He is a Wellcome Principal Research Fellow and uses brain imaging techniques to investigate the neural correlates of consciousness in health and disease. He has published over 200 scientific papers and his book The cognitive neuropsychology of schizophrenia (Psychology Press, 1992) was awarded the 1996 Book Award by the British Psychological Society. Eve C. Johnstone MD, FRCP, FRCPsych is Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatry in the University of Edinburgh. In addition to an extensive clinical practice she conducts large scale research on all aspects of schizophrenia designed to improve treatment and identify risk factors. She has published over 300 scientific papers and among other books, is senior editor of the Companion to Psychiatry Studies (Harcourt, Brace, 1998) and Schizophrenia: Concepts and Clinical management CUP, 1999.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	ix
The experience of schizophrenia	1	(23)
The concept of schizophrenia	24	(23)
Intellectual functioning in schizophrenia	47	(25)
Schizophrenia and drugs	72	(20)
Biological factors	92	(16)
Environmental factors	108	(15)
Understanding the symptoms of schizophrenia	123	(22)
The importance of schizophrenia	145	(26)
References	171	(14)
Further reading	185	(4)
Index	189