Consensus reached on the meaning of relapse in schizophrenia, or is it?

Variability in relapse definition make comparison across studies harder

A systematic review and Delphi study creates a new consensus statement on the meaning and measurement of relapse in schizophrenia, but until voices of lived experience are more fully engaged, there remains some way to go in reaching a valid consensus.

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Stopping antidepressants safely: network meta-analysis compares deprescribing strategies

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This network meta-analysis of 76 trials found that slow tapering (over 4 weeks) combined with psychological support was most effective for preventing relapse when stopping antidepressants. Abrupt discontinuation and fast tapering substantially increased relapse risk and should be avoided.

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Recovery, relapse, and genetic risk: what 10,000 Danes taught us about eating disorder trajectories

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How often do people with eating disorders switch diagnoses, recover, or relapse? This large Danish study follows more than 10,000 people over nearly a decade, uncovering patterns of remission and genetic vulnerability that could help shape more personalised care.

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Continuing antipsychotic medication during pregnancy associated with reduced risk of schizophrenia relapse

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Shuichi Suetani and Sarah Thomas highlight new research from Korea which suggests that antipsychotic medications do seem to help reduce the relapse of schizophrenia in pregnant women.

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HRT associated with reduced risk of psychosis relapse in middle-age women

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Laura Naysmith summarises a study of menopausal hormone therapy (also known as HRT), which suggests the treatment is linked with reduce the risk of psychosis relapse in menopausal women.

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Are psychological interventions effective in preventing relapse and recurrence in depression?

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Andrea Cipriani is back, this time writing with Rosario Aronica to summarise an individual patient data meta-analysis on the use of psychological interventions for preventing relapse in depression.

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Risk factors for depression relapse while on long-term maintenance antidepressant treatment

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In her debut blog, Asha Ladwa discusses a secondary analysis of data from the ANTLER trial, which investigated the clinical factors associated with relapse in primary care patients on long-term maintenance antidepressants.

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What’s the relationship between stressful life events and psychosis?

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Kris Deering considers a 2-year prospective observational study published in the Lancet Psychiatry which found strong links between stressful life events and relapse in first-episode psychosis.

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Antidepressant withdrawal or depression relapse? International guidelines on antidepressant discontinuation are unclear

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Adele Framer summarises a systematic review which finds that major guidelines on antidepressant discontinuation only give clinicians vague guidance on distinguishing withdrawal from relapse.

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Schizophrenia and cannabis use: new evidence measures risk of relapse

Over 20% of cannabis users experience a psychotic relapse within 24 months of treatment.

In her debut blog, Sally Turner considers a recent study on cannabis use and clinical outcomes in people with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders over 24 months of treatment.

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