NEW THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA.

Despite the advances of modern psychiatry, schizophrenia remains a challenge for the clinician and the society. The variety of symptoms with the associated cognitive deficiency make this pathology, a continuous field of research, the psychiatrists being focused in maintaining the long-term functionality and social reinsertion of the affected people. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to bring to attention the therapies applied over time, explaining their effectiveness and introducing the new strategies proposed nowadays. It represents a review of the literature, but also the clinical experience, and is intended to be a tool to be used in the recovery of our patients. Given the four hypotheses of different classes of neurotransmitters involved in the onset of schizophrenia, the researchers followed the development of drugs that act effectively on them. The most well-known theory remains the implications of the dopaminergic system, which is why most of the typical antipsychotics have targeted the positive symptoms. Learning about the importance of the noradrenergic, serotoninergic and GABAergic effects, a new generation of antipsychotics have been conceived, the first being clozapine. These aimed at addressing the negative symptomatology in particular, which is often underestimated. Nowadays, the attention of scientists is focused on molecules with a better cognitive effect and better management of the aggressive symptoms. ECT had a special role over the years, nowadays remaining a heroic approach, psychotherapies, especially the cognitive-behavioural one, gaining more and more ground. The combination of medication and psychotherapy have the best long-term results. New approaches such as transcranial stimulation of the frontal lobe in particular, are under the scope. Given the wide range of therapeutic schemes, it is important to individualize the treatment according to the patient's profile, looking forward to easing the pain of our patients and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]