title: Research on first-episode psychosis: report on a National Institute of Mental Health Workshop.
abstract: The need to focus increased research on patients experiencing their first episode of psychosis was emphasized in A National Plan for Schizophrenia Research. To develop strategies for enhancing research in this area, a National Institute of Mental Health Workshop on First-Episode Psychosis was held in 1991. The topics discussed at that workshop are summarized, with key issues including the following: (1) the need for better operational definitions of onset, end of an episode, and relapse of psychosis; (2) careful consideration of inclusion and exclusion criteria related to age, gender, prior treatment, comorbid substance abuse, and similar issues; (3) the challenge of finding patients never exposed to neuroleptics and the value of entering first-episode patients into standardized treatment protocols; (4) the design of followup studies; (5) strategies to increase the pool of applicants; and (6) approaches for increasing power through data sharing and collaboration between groups.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Mental Health, Rockville, MD 20857.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kirch
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Keith
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Matthews
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009315:National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.); D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States