YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS: A team of researchers from the Armenian Molecular Biology Institute, an affiliation of the National Academy of Sciences, said they have developed a test that can help doctors and psychiatrists to diagnose people with schizophrenia.
The new test can be applied by doctors in clinics, mental houses and psychiatrists in research centers. Until now schizophrenics are often initially diagnosed based on display of what doctors call ‘prodromal’ signs, which are signs preceding a psychotic episode. Schizophrenic prodromal signs may include social isolation, odd behavior, lack of personal hygiene, and blunted emotions and sometimes schizophrenia is diagnosed through the patient’s response to different therapeutic regimens.
Armenian researchers have developed their new test after examining 200 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, tens of people suffering from other illnesses and also 225 physically healthy people. Schizophrenia is estimated to afflict 1% of the world’s population, whereas schizotypal personality disorder afflicts 2-3%. The incidence of schizophrenia among parents, children, and siblings of patients with the disease is 15%. It occurs equally in males and females.
The disease may be seen at any age, but the average age for the initiation of treatment is from 28-34 years. Schizophrenia is associated with low economic status, probably due to a lack of proper health care during fetal development.
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