The Epidemiology of Schizophrenia

by Robin M. Murray, Peter B. Jones, Ezra Susser, Jim Van Os, Mary Cannon

Overview

An international team of leading researchers and clinicians provides the first comprehensive, epidemiological overview of this multi-faceted and still-perplexing disorder. Controversial issues such as the validity of discrete or dimensional classifications of schizophrenia and the continuum between psychosis and 'normality' are explored in depth. Separate chapters are devoted to topics of particular relevance to schizophrenia such as suicide, violence and substance abuse. Finally, new prospects for treatment and prevention are considered.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521121026
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	10/01/2009
Pages:	472
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.70(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Professor of Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, London. Born 31/1/1944.

Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. Born 24/1/1960.

Chair of the Division of Epidemiology at the Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University; and Head of the Epidemiology of Brain Disorders Department at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Born 13/7/1952.

Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands. Born 8/4/1060.

Senior Lecturer and Wellcome Trust Advanced Research Fellow in the Division of Psychological Medicine at the Institute of Psychiatry, London. Born 2/6/1965.

Table of Contents

Foreword William Carpenter; Preface; Part I. The Social Epidemiology of Schizophrenia: Introduction; 1. Investigating socio-environmental influences in schizophrenia: conceptual and design issues Michaeline Bresnahan and Ezra Susser; 2. Geographical variation in incidence, course and outcome in schizophrenia: a comparison of developing and developed countries Michealine Bresnahan, Paulo Menezes, Vijoy Varma and Ezra Susser; 3. Temporal variation in the incidence, course and outcome of schizophrenia Michaeline Bresnahan, Jane Boydell, Robin Murray and Ezra Susser; 4. Urbanisation, migration and risk of schizophrenia Jane Boydell and Robin Murray; Part II. The Developmental Epidemiology of Schizophrenia: Introduction; 5. Prenatal and perinatal risk factors for schizophrenia Mary Cannon, Robert Kendell, Ezra Susser and Peter Jones; 6. Childhood development and later schizophrenia: evidence from genetic high risk and birth cohort studies Mary Cannon, C. Jane Tarrant, Matti O. Huttunen and Peter Jones; 7. Prodrome, onset and early course of schizophrenia Heinz Häfner; 8. The value of first-episode studies of schizophrenia Mary Clarke and Eadbhard O'Callaghan; 9. Schizophrenia at the extremes of life Kenneth G. D. Orr and David J. Castle; Part III. The Genetic Epidemiology of Schizophrenia: Introduction; 10. The 'classical' genetic epidemiology of schizophrenia Alastair Cardno and Robin Murray; 11. Molecular genetics and epidemiology in schizophrenia: a necessary partnership Stanley Zammit, Glyn Lewis and Michael J. Owen; 12. Gene-environment correlation and interaction in schizophrenia Jim van Os and Pak Sham; 13. Investigating gene-environment interaction in schizophrenia using neuroimaging Theo G. M. van Erp, Timothy L. Gasperoni, Isabelle M. Rosso and Tyrone D. Cannon; Part IV. Special Issues in the Epidemiology of Schizophrenia: Introduction; 14. Mortality and physical illness in schizophrenia Preben Bo Mortensen; 15. The clinical epidemiology of suicide in schizophrenia Hannele Heilä and Jouko Lönnqvist; 16. What is the relationship between substance abuse and schizophrenia? Robin Murray, Anton Grech, Peter Phillips and Sonia Johnson; 17. Criminal and violent behaviour in schizophrenia Elizabeth Walsh and Alec Buchanan; Part V. Future Directions and Emerging Issues: Introduction; 18. Diagnosis and classification of schizophrenia: categories vs dimensions, distributions vs disease Jim van Os and Hélène Verdoux; 19. The implications of epidemiology for service planning in schizophrenia Graham Thornicroft and Michele Tansella; 20. Prevention of schizophrenia - not an impossible dream John McGrath; Glossary; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"This is a refreshing and helpful book that presents an up-to-date and comprehensive understanding of schizophrenia. The sections on medical health, suicide, and substance abuse are helpful for clinical practice." John Claro Onate, Doody's Review Service

"This is an impressive book. It brings together a remarkable array of evidence...this book is a very useful compendium of epidemiologic findings concerning schizophrenia and it should be of interest and helpful not only to psychiatrists interested in schizophrenia but also to geneticists, physicians of disciplines other than psychiatry, and public health decision makers." American Journal of Psychiatry

"I recommend this book highly. All the ingredients required for an understanding of the epidemiology of schizophrenia are between its covers. The editors have made a remarkable effort to organize the material into a consolidated work." The New England Journal of Medicine

"The Epidemiology of Schizophrenia is the most comprehensive assembly of existing knowledge to date...a substantial achievement in the compilation of scientific knowledge on this subject." The Times Higher Education Supplement

From the Publisher

5 Stars! from Doody

Reviewer: John Claro Onate, BS, MD (Rush University Medical Center)
Description: This is a summation and review of the various approaches to understanding the nature and origins of schizophrenia and future developments in the research and perspective of schizophrenia.
Purpose: The purpose is to bring together and unify the various research studies of schizophrenia. This is a very important topic and after over 100 years, we still have a limited understanding of this disorder. The editors fulfilled their purpose with a concise but quite comprehensive and thought-provoking book.
Audience: Graduate level students in medicine, public health, epidemiology, and mental health are the audience. Readers will need an understanding of epidemiology to understand this book fully, although the chapter summaries are very helpful. The authors have done their homework and show a deep understanding and insight into the material.
Features: The book covers the social epidemiology and geographical nature of schizophrenia, revealing, interestingly, that patients fared worst in industrialized counties compared to third world countries. Outcome studies are covered and the strengths and weaknesses of descriptive studies are discussed, then developmental and disease progression. Genetic studies, both classical and molecular, of schizophrenia are next, revealing evidence for multiple locations of genetic causes. The next sections cover important but sometimes overlooked aspects of medical health, suicide, and substance abuse in these patients. The final sections are discussions on the categorical versus dimensional diagnosis and preventive care for schizophrenia.
Assessment: This is a refreshing and helpful book that presents an up-to-date and comprehensive understanding of schizophrenia. It is also a great book to learn about the application of epidemiology on mental health. The sections on medical health, suicide, and substance abuse are helpful for clinical practice. The section on diagnosis makes the reader think about the strengths and weaknesses of psychiatric diagnosis.

Doody's Review Service