Past substance abuse and clinical course of schizophrenia.
To evaluate the effects of previous alcohol and drug use on the course and symptoms of schizophrenia, the authors compared 34 patients with schizophrenia who had histories of substance abuse with 17 patients with schizophrenia who were lifelong abstainers. Surprisingly, they did not find that individuals with past histories of abuse were more impaired or had more symptoms.
Zisook
S
S
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego.
Heaton
R
R
Moranville
J
J
Kuck
J
J
Jernigan
T
T
Braff
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D013695:Temperance