A practical guide on how to assess and treat schizophrenia and related disorders using cognitive rehabilitation.

Provides state-of-the-art information about cognition in schizophrenia with a wide ranging focus on measuring and treating cognitive deficits.

This volume covers the dramatic developments that have occurred in basic neuroscience and clinical research in cognitive neurology and dementia. It is based on the clinical approach to the patient, and provides essential knowledge that is fundamental to clinical practice.

Cognitive Enhancement: Pharmacologic, Environmental and Genetic Factors addresses the gap that exists in research on the topic, gathering multidisciplinary knowledge and tools that help the reader understand the basics of cognitive enhancement. It also provides assistance in designing procedures and pharmacological approaches to further the use of novel cognitive enhancers, a field that offers potential benefit to a variety of populations, including those with neurologic and psychiatric disorders, mild aging-related cognitive impairment, and those who want to improve intellectual performance. The text builds on our knowledge of the molecular/cellular basis of cognitive function, offering the technological developments that may soon enhance cognition. Separate sections cover enhancement drugs, environmental conditions, and genetic factors in terms of both human and animal studies, including both healthy/young and aging/diseased individuals. - Provides a multidisciplinary knowledge, enabling a further understanding of cognitive enhancement - Offers coverage of the pharmacologic, environmental, and genetic factors relevant to the topic - Discusses cognitive enhancement from the perspective of both healthy and diseased or aging populations - Topics are discussed in terms of both human and animal studies

Disturbances of various domains of cognitive function have been shown to provide a major determinant of outcome for patients with psychiatric conditions. Cognitive impairment is present in an array of diseases, including schizophrenia (with its prodromal stage), mood disorder, autism spectrum disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder, post-traumatic disorder, and eating disorder. In an effort to develop effective therapeutics for cognitive impairment, bridging of preclinical and clinical evidence has been attempted. This edited Book will provide a forum for researchers and clinicians interested in the phenomenology, underlying mechanisms, and treatment of cognitive impairment associated with psychiatric illnesses. Twenty-eight contributions from 8 countries in Europe, Middle East, Asia, North America, and South America represent studies dealing with genetic, molecular, imaging, physiological, psychological, and behavioral issues. Information in this Book will facilitate the development of therapeutics of greater clinical value.

Schizophrenia and related psychiatric disorders can be highly disabling. Deficits in cognition, involving skills such as attention, problem solving and social understanding are core symptoms of many psychiatric disorders, which greatly impact the quality of life of patients. New research demonstrates the evidence for cognitive enhancement therapies, capable of relieving these deficits. This book explores the evidence for cognitive enhancement therapies and their mode of action, making recommendations for individualized implementation strategies. The topics covered include computer-based exercises, psychotherapeutic group activities, and pharmacological interventions. This book is designed to serve the needs of practicing clinicians, researchers, and mental health students. It is packed full of illustrations and case vignettes from the author's own practice and includes an up-to-date bibliography of the major works in this field.

Could CRT provide the first structured method of alleviating cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia? Cognitive Remediation Therapy for Schizophrenia describes the background and development of this new psychological therapy and demonstrates how it provides the first structured help to overcome the thinking problems associated with schizophrenia. In three sections, the book covers the theoretical and empirical underpinning of cognitive remediation therapy and explores its application. Part I, 'The Development of Therapy', provides the historical context and theoretical background to the therapy and emphasizes the value of rehabilitating cognitive deficits. In Part II, 'Improving Cognitive Processes', the process and effects of changing cognition are examined. Finally, in Part III, 'The Process of Therapy', the authors provide a clinical guide to the delivery of cognitive remediation therapy and use case examples to support its efficacy. This book is the first to describe an individual cognitive remediation therapy programme based on a clear model of the relationship between thinking and behaviour. It will be of both academic and clinical value to all those health professionals and clinical academics who want not only to understand the relationships between thought and action but also to intervene to improve therapy.

During the past decade research into the pharmacology of cognition, particularly regarding learning and memory, has supported the concept that many potential neural targets exist for the development of cognitive-enhancing drugs. Whereas the main impetus for this research has been the ever growing population of individuals with dementing disorders such as Alzheimer`s disease, attention is also being focused on issues relating to cognitive impairment associated with "normal" aging. This book is useful as a source of information for making informed decisions regarding the relative utility and attributes of the various neural targets that have been studied to date.

Psychotic disorders are common and important psychiatric conditions, and patients suffering from psychosis can be challenging to assess and manage. In this new monograph, experts in schizophrenia and related psychoses review the current state of science in this area, and provide a practical and readable overview of the how to diagnose and treat individuals presenting with these disorders. This pocket-sized text features call-out boxes, case descriptions, practical tips, and general guidelines that should be ideal for medical students, residents, young mental health professionals, and trainees in other fields.Beginning with a history of psychosis, the authors proceed to explore the phenomenology of symptoms and experiences and how these can be used in clinical assessment. Diagnostic criteria are reviewed, along with common conditions in the differential diagnosis. Subsequent chapters tackle epidemiology, course and prognosis, and the neurobiology of psychotic disorders. The book concludes with chapters on treatment, both somatic and psychosocial, including discussion of novel interventional approaches and service delivery.The authors of this text are a mix of clinician-educators and scientific investigators, all with experience teaching trainees; this pocket-sized book has been developed to help young professionals easily gain a basic understanding of the complexities and challenges of psychotic disorders. Self-assessment questions, resources, and references will assist, but what really sets this book apart is the accessibility and concision of the text, ideal for individuals learning about or reviewing psychosis.