Comprehensive Treatment of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that can devastate the lives of patients and their families. The condition is chronic and may persist throughout patients'' lives, disrupting education and work and greatly reducing the quality of life. Affecting nearly 0.8% of the population worldwide, schizophrenia is a serious public health problem demanding improved treatment. Recent progress in neuroscience and biological studies of schizophrenia is promising. However, to understand the concomitant behavioral characteristics and implement effective treatment programs, multifaceted approaches are required. "Comprehensive Treatment of Schizophrenia" was the subject of the 8th Keio University International Symposium for Life Sciences and Medicine, held in Tokyo. From the symposium, 40 papers were chosen to be included here in nine sections covering the broad spectrum of recent clinical progress in the treatment of schizophrenia and allied disorders.