It is possible to reduce the DUP through an ED program. The reduction in DUP is associated with better clinical status at baseline that is maintained after 3 months.

Our findings suggest that neurocognitive dysfunction in bipolar and schizophrenia spectrum disorders is determined more by history of psychosis than by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) diagnostic category or subtype, supporting a more dimensional approach in future diagnostic systems.

Objective: Early detection in first-episode psychosis confers advantages for negative, cognitive, and depressive symptoms after 1, 2, and 5 years, but longitudinal effects are unknown. The authors investigated the differences in symptoms and recovery after 10 years between regional health care sectors with and without a comprehensive program for the early detection of psychosis. Method:The authors evaluated 281 patients (early detection, N=141) 18 to 65 years old with a first episode of nonaffective psychosis between 1997 and 2001. Of these, 101 patients in the early-detection area and 73 patients in the usual-detection area were followed up at 10 years, and the authors compared their symptoms and recovery.

Intensive education campaigns toward the general public, the schools, and the primary health care services appear to be an important and necessary part of an early detection program. When such a campaign was stopped, there was a clear regressive change in help-seeking behavior with an increase in DUP and baseline symptoms.