Remission rates for people for at risk mental state study

The concept of intervention in the pre-psychotic (or ‘prodromal’) phase has allowed researchers to focus on the prevention of psychosis. The main approach taken to date has been to identify young people considered to be at ’ultra high risk’ (UHR) of developing psychosis, using the ‘UHR criteria’. Such efforts have always been embedded in significant ethical implications, mostly due to the fact that the majority of young people who meet the UHR criteria will not go on to develop psychosis. The controversy surrounding our readiness to apply these criteria to clinical populations has recently come to a head with the proposal of a ‘risk syndrome’ in the forthcoming DSM-V. It is therefore timely to consider the outcomes for those who meet the UHR criteria.

This study from Switzerland reports on a small UHR+ cohort (n=49) in terms of their UHR status after 12 months. 14.3% transitioned to full blown psychosis, 26.5% still met the UHR criteria, while the majority of people (59.2%) no longer met UHR criteria. These results are similar to other studies, and highlight the need to continually refine the UHR criteria in order to target those who are truly at risk of developing psychosis. 

Simon and Umbricht. High remission rates from an initial ultra-high risk state for psychosis. Schizophrenia Research Volume 116, Issues 2-3, February 2010, Pages 168-172

For information about the proposed DSM V changes to the APA Web site www.dsm5.org and follow the links to psychosis risk syndrome