Is the diagnosis of schizophrenic illness possible in the initial prodromal phase to the first psychotic manifestation?
In the international research on schizophrenia, the early detection and intervention already in the initial prodromal phase prior to the first psychotic manifestation has become one of the main aims in recent years. Therefore, in the present study, the diagnostic efficiency of initial prodromal symptoms was examined prospectively for the first time ever. At index-examination, patients were examined with the ‘Bonn Scale for the Assessment of Basic Symptoms–BSABS’ and the ninth version of the ‘Present State Examination–PSE 9’. At that time, none of the 160 patients had shown psychotic symptoms, but in 110 of the cases prodromal symptoms were found. At the reexamination that took place in average 9.6 years later, patients were explored with regard to a meantime transition to a first psychotic episode applying the same instruments as at index-examination. 79 of the 160 patients (49.38%) had developed a schizophrenic disorder according to DSM-IV-criteria in the catamnestic interval. In ge
