Diagnosis and Medication Treatment of Schizophrenia in Adolescents - PubMed
2 hours ago
- #antipsychotics
- #adolescents
- #schizophrenia
- Schizophrenia typically develops in early adulthood but can appear during adolescence, leading to significant morbidity and functional impairment.
- Accurate diagnosis in youth is challenging due to symptom overlap with other psychiatric or developmental conditions, making timely and precise diagnosis crucial.
- Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are first-line treatments, with evidence supporting risperidone, aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, paliperidone, lurasidone, and brexpiprazole for reducing psychotic symptoms in adolescents.
- Clozapine is the most effective option for treatment-resistant adolescent schizophrenia, though it requires close monitoring due to adverse effects.
- SGAs are preferred over first-generation antipsychotics due to fewer extrapyramidal side effects and stronger evidence, but they carry risks like weight gain, metabolic syndrome, and sedation.
- Ongoing monitoring and individualized treatment selection are essential to manage side effects and optimize long-term outcomes.
- More pediatric-specific research is needed to guide clinical practice, emphasizing accurate diagnosis, early intervention, and vigilant monitoring.