Schizophrenia and Epilepsy: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

1. Schizophrenia, Schizophreniform Disorders and Their Treatment

Schizophrenia is a recurrent and often chronic form of abnormal behavior that refers to what many of us call "madness." Psychiatrists classify schizophrenia as a psychosis. By this they mean a person who cannot distinguish their thoughts, ideas, perceptions and intense imaginings from reality, a distorted perception, and ideas and values that other people in that culture hold to be true. In addition to these symptoms, the person may hear voices or believe that other people can read their minds and control their thoughts. Most psychiatrists consider these symptoms to be psychiatric disorders.

Two (or more) of the following symptoms, present for a period of about one month (or even less), are sufficient to determine that a patient is schizophrenic:

1. Delusions
2. Hallucinations
3. Disorganized (non-fluent) speech or thought
4. Catatonic behavior or markedly disorganized behavior
5. Negative symptoms: loss of normal functions, such as lack of initiative, lack of desire, and impoverishment (or complete blocking) of speech, etc.

Medications used to treat schizophrenia are called antipsychotics. Psychosocial treatment should be provided on an ongoing basis.

2. Epilepsy and Its Treatment

Epilepsy is a neurological disease characterized by the recurrent repetition of epileptic seizures, in the absence of a specific stimulus.

Incidence

It affects childhood and adolescence, but onset at any age is not excluded. About 8% of the population has an epileptic seizure during their lifetime.

Prevalence

The prevalence rate is higher in developing countries.

Classification of Epileptic Seizures

• Simple partial seizures (with consciousness preserved)
• Complex partial seizures (with impaired consciousness)
• Simple or complex partial seizures that progress to generalized seizures

Symptoms

• Motor symptoms
• Autonomic symptoms or signs (flushing, pallor, sweating, epigastric discomfort)
• Psychic symptoms (illusions and hallucinations)
• Loss of consciousness, partial or complete

Treatment

General measures:

• Securing the airways
• Securing the route for administering antiepileptic drugs

Specific treatment:

• Diazepam 10–20 mg IV
• Infusion containing diazepam, phenytoin, valproate; parenteral route; thiopental