title: Clinical and therapeutic role of mentalization in schizophrenia-a review.
abstract: Recent empirical findings from clinical and genetic studies suggest that mentalization, a key area of social cognition, is a distinct construct, although it is closely related to the neurocognitive deficits and symptoms of schizophrenia. Mentalization contributes a great deal to impaired social functioning. Current measures often display methodological problems, and many aspects should be taken into account when assessing mentalization. Moreover, advances in cognitive and affective neurosciences have led to the development of more advanced behavioral methods to assess the relationship between cognitive functions, symptoms, and social cognition based on their underlying neural mechanisms. The development of assessment tools that better examine the neural circuitry of such relationships may lead to the development of new psychosocial and pharmacological treatments.
authors.affiliation: 1'Aghios Charalambos' Mental Health Center,Heraklion,Crete,Greece.
authors.forename: Trisevgeni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dimopoulou
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Program,Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital,Boston,Massachusetts,USA.
authors.forename: Frank I
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Tarazi
authors.affiliation: 1'Aghios Charalambos' Mental Health Center,Heraklion,Crete,Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelia M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Tsapakis
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D000076563:Mentalization; D012559:Schizophrenia; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
keywords: First episode patients; mentalization; neurocognitive deficits; pharmacotherapy; schizophrenia; social functioning; theory of mind