Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic and often severe psychotic disorder. Its causes include imbalances in mediators involved in neuroplasticity, apoptosis, cell resilience and dendritic arborization. Among these mediators, oxidative species are particularly relevant for the pathophysiology of the disease, and this is the rationale for experimental use of antioxidant medications, such as N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Onset of schizophrenia is usually preceded by a period of subtle and unspecific symptoms, the prodrome, in which preventive interventions could delay or even stop the progression to full-blown psychosis. In this article, we propose that NAC could be a useful medication to prevent evolution of schizophrenia in individuals at risk for psychosis.
About the authors
Asevedo: Graduated in Medicine at the Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro (2007), residency in Psychiatry from the Federal University of São Paulo (2012). Participates as researcher in the Program of Intervention in Risk Mental States (PRISMA), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP).
Cunha: Graduated in Medicine at the Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro (2007). Residency in Psychiatry at the Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual (2012). She is currently researcher in the Program of Intervention in Risk Mental States (PRISMA), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP).
Zugman: Graduated in medicine from the Federal University of Paraná (2008), residency in Psychiatry at the Federal University of Sao Paulo (2012). He is currently a researcher in the Program of Intervention in Risk Mental States (PRISMA), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP).
Mansur: Graduated in Medicine from the Federal University of São Paulo (2008), residency in Psychiatry at the Federal University of Sao Paulo (2012). He is an associated researcher of the Program of Intervention in Risk Mental States (PRISMA), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP). Conducts research in collaboration with the Unit of Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology at the University of Toronto.
Brietzke: Graduated in Medicine from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (1996), residency in Psychiatry at the Federal University of Medical Sciences of Porto Alegre (2007). PhD in Psychiatry from Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (2010) and Post-PhD in Psychiatry from Federal University of São Paulo (2012). She is the scientific coordinator of the Program of Intervention in Risk Mental States (PRISMA), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP). Conducts research in collaboration with the Unit of Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology at the University of Toronto and the group of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience PUCRS.
©2012 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston
