Tomorrow is World Schizophrenia Awareness Day, an annual day dedicated to raising awareness of this severe mental health condition that affects over 20 million people worldwide.
Schizophrenia is a complex brain condition which can be challenging to treat. This week, Australian experts are sharing their insights about the current state of play, both positive and negative.
Professor Chris Langmead is Director of the Neuromedicines Discovery Centre at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He said, ‘The stigma and daily struggle that comes with living with schizophrenia can lead to chronic despair, hopelessness and a lost sense of self-worth, whilst also having a significant impact on families, carers and places of work.
‘At the same time, the development of new medical treatments for schizophrenia has remained stagnant for more than 50 years – there is an urgent need for change. We urgently need new precision medicines for schizophrenia that are much more effective than current drugs and also much better tolerated.
‘An emerging and exciting example of this is a new drug in Phase 3 clinical trials in the US for the treatment of schizophrenia and psychosis in Alzheimer’s disease – medicines like this can also be developed in Australia, with the right investment,’ said Professor Langmead.
‘It’s critical that medical treatment options for people living with schizophrenia dramatically improve. With world-leading researchers across drug development, psychiatry, psychology and public health, Australia is well-placed to be at the forefront of this field.’
Gender focused services and new treatments
Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM is Professor of Psychiatry and Director HER Centre Australia, Monash University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.
‘Women with schizophrenia and related conditions need special gender focussed services to provide tailored care that includes safe, private hospital facilities and appropriate medications, said Professor Kulkarni.
‘Special attention is needed for women with schizophrenia during pregnancy, the postnatal period and during the menopause transition, since these hormonal life events can adversely impact mental health.’
Professor Suresh Sundram is Chair of Psychiatry, Monash University, Head of the Translational Molecular Psychiatry Program and Director of Research, Mental Health Program, Monash Health.
Professor Sundram said, ‘Schizophrenia remains one of the most severe and disabling disorders globally, with a suicide rate twelve times that of the general population.
‘Much of this is due to medicines that are old, only partially symptomatic, and often toxic and ineffective. There is a desperate need for new effective disease-modifying treatments.
‘This can only be achieved through understanding the biological causes of schizophrenia and requires intensive research and investment.’
Compassion
Associate Professor Rachel Hill is Head of the Monash University Department of Psychiatry Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory.
‘Schizophrenia is a disorder of the brain and as such needs to be treated with compassion and understanding,’ said Associate Professor Hill.
‘There is a desperate need for better resources to support those living with this very frightening illness. Furthermore, dedicated investment into discovery research to better understand what is happening in the brains of people with schizophrenia will improve treatment outcomes.’
