title: Cognitive interventions targeting brain plasticity in the prodromal and early phases of schizophrenia.
abstract: Several important paradigm shifts have occurred in the field of schizophrenia treatment, including an increased focus on early detection, the development of preemptive interventions, and the view of schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental disease characterized by decreased efficiency and abnormal connectivity in cortical and subcortical neural networks. In this review, we briefly describe some of the neural impairments that contribute to the development of schizophrenia, with an emphasis on the impact of stress and trauma on cognitively vulnerable neural systems. We then present current data on two behavioral interventions that target these critical risk factors and that aim to preempt the onset of schizophrenia in vulnerable individuals or improve the clinical course in recent-onset schizophrenia: cognitive therapy and computerized cognitive training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Loewy
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schlosser
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vinogradov
mesh_terms: D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D062706:Prodromal Symptoms; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology