Schizophrenia: Advances in Research and Future Directions

Schizophrenia is a major psychiatric disorder characterized by a disruption in neuropsychological function that usually manifests itself between the age of 10 and 35. This book provides a broad overview of the domains, severity, and course of neuropsychological functioning in schizophrenia patients. Genetic variations and markers can serve as a diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic tool for the patients. As such, the authors describe and summarize the blood-based biomarkers of schizophrenia from the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic points of view. The closing study aims to determine the role of internalized stigma in the presence and severity of fear of negative evaluation in patients with schizophrenia, specifically hypothesizing that a higher perceived discrimination will be the most important predictor.