Course and long-term treatment of schizophrenic psychoses.

As there is a lack of clear biological correlates for most psychiatric disorders, follow-up studies regarding course, outcome and prognosis of psychiatric disorders play an important role in psychiatric research, especially in terms of validation of psychiatric diagnoses and other psychiatric concepts, such as the concept of negative symptoms. Long-term studies also have their place in the description and evaluation of first treatment procedures. The first part of this paper will describe some general aspects of the long-term course and outcome of schizophrenic psychoses. The problem of relapses and relapse prevention will then be discussed. Especially data from recent studies will be considered in this overview.