Integrated psychological intervention appears effective in delaying the onset of psychosis over a 24-month time period in people in an EIPS.

Symptom development during the prodromal phase of psychosis was explored retrospectively in first-episode psychosis patients with special emphasis on the assumed time-related syndromic sequence of "unspecific symptoms (UN)-predictive basic symptoms (BS)-attenuated psychotic symptoms (APS)-(transient) psychotic symptoms (PS)." Onset of syndromes was defined by first occurrence of any of their respective symptoms. Group means were inspected for time differences between syndromes and influence of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics on the recalled sequence. The sequence of "UN-BS/APS-PS" was clearly supported, and both BS and, though slightly less, APS were highly sensitive. However, onset of BS and APS did not show significant time difference in the whole sample (N = 126; 90% schizophrenia), although when each symptom is considered independently, APS tended to occur later than first predictive BS. On descriptive level, about one-third each recalled an earlier, equal and later onset of BS compared with APS. Level of education showed the greatest impact on the recall of the hypothesized sequence. Thereby, those with a higher school-leaving certificate supported the assumed sequence, whereas those of low educational background retrospectively dated APS before BS. These findings rather point out recognition and recall bias inherent to the retrospective design than true group characteristics. Future long-term prospective studies will have to explore this conclusively. However, as regards the criteria, the results support the notion of BS as at least a complementary approach to the ultrahigh risk criteria, which may also allow for an earlier detection of psychosis.

Impairments in neuropsychological functioning have been described in subjects clinically at high risk for psychosis, but the specific cognitive deficits in different clinical high-risk groups remain to be elucidated. The German Research Network on Schizophrenia employs a heuristic 2-stage model: a putatively late prodromal state (LPS), characterized by the onset of attenuated positive or brief psychotic symptoms, and an early prodromal state (EPS), mainly characterized by the presence of basic symptoms, which are predictive for psychosis within the next 10 years. A total of 205 subjects met the criteria for either an EPS or an LPS of psychosis and were assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. Neurocognitive profiles of high-risk groups were compared with data of 87 healthy controls comparable with regard to gender, age, and premorbid verbal IQ. Patients in the LPS were impaired in all neurocognitive domains (memory/learning, executive control/processing speed, and working memory) examined, with memory being the worst. Deficits were less pronounced in patients in the EPS, with a specific deficit in the executive control/processing speed domain. Consistent with a progressive neurodevelopmental disorder, some cognitive abilities were already impaired in patients in the EPS, followed by further deterioration in the LPS. Specifically, deficits in executive control functioning were related to the presence of basic symptoms, indicating a vulnerability for psychosis. Memory deficits were associated with the onset of psychotic symptoms indicating further disease progression in the trajectory to psychosis and, thus, may be useful in predicting psychosis and targeting early intervention.

PPI disruption is already present in a prodromal state of schizophrenia, but startle reactivity deficits seem to emerge with the onset of acute psychosis.

Individuals at risk for psychosis experienced a marked impairment of sQoL across all domains. This was evident even in the early state, showed no significant further deterioration during the late state and was predominantly explained by non-specific symptoms.