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Look beyond stable by understanding negative symptoms of schizophrenia

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identification

Recognizing and addressing negative 
symptoms of schizophrenia is critical to a 
comprehensive approach to management 

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia affect motivation, socialization, 
and the ability to feel joy.1-3

Experiential 
symptoms 
include1-3:

experiential symptoms avolition icon

Avolition

experiential symptoms anhedonia icon

Anhedonia

experiential symptoms asociality icon

Asociality

Expressive 
symptoms 
include1-3:

expressive symptoms flat affect icon

Flat affect

expressive symptoms alogia icon

Alogia

IMPACT

Uncontrolled negative symptoms 
of schizophrenia persist and can 
impact people living with 
schizophrenia3,4

  • Lead to functional decline

  • Burden caregivers (eg, absence from work)

  • Burden the healthcare system (eg, hospitalizations)

Negative Symptoms statistic

People living with schizophrenia may be unaware, or unable to articulate, how negative symptoms are impacting their lives, so recognizing symptoms and asking patients and caregivers about them is important.

MANAGEMENT

A comprehensive approach to managing schizophrenia involves asking about negative symptoms3

Most antipsychotics have limited effect in controlling the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. There are currently no approved pharmacotherapies specifically indicated for negative symptoms, and guideline recommendations for managing negative symptoms are limited.3

Current management strategies typically include pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and other psychosocial interventions.3

Question mark icon

Right now, you can work to uncover negative symptoms of schizophrenia in your patients 
by asking them or their caregivers questions like3:

  • What kind of mood are you in? 

  • How do you feel today?

  • How do you spend a typical day?

  • What do you do for fun?

  • Have you had a chance to meet up with people outside of your family recently?

  • Would you like to have a job?

let's look beyond stable negative

Learn more about the other symptom domains seen in people living with schizophrenia and discover resources that can help.

#lookbeyondstable
 

  1. Harvey PD, Koren D, Reichenberg A, Bowie CR. Negative symptoms and cognitive deficits: what is the nature of their relationship? Schizophr Bull. 2006;32(2):250-258. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbj011

  2. Maroney M. Management of cognitive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Ment Health Clin. 2022;12(5):282-299. doi:10.9740/mhc.2022.10.282

  3. Correll CU, Schooler NR. Negative symptoms in schizophrenia: a review and clinical guide for recognition, assessment, and treatment. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2020;16:519-534. doi:10.2147/NDT.S225643 

  4. Lavallee C, Maughn K, Gyanani A, Doe A, Lalonde J. Real-world evidence investigation on healthcare utilization and cost among negative symptom patients and non-negative symptom patients with schizophrenia in the US. Value Health. 2019;22(suppl 2):S230