San Fransisco Chronicle

July 9, 1992

James Gulk

A recent discovery in psychopathology emerged last weekend that could open doors to further research in the field of schizophrenia and related disorders. A patient admitted to Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital in San Francisco was seen with a never-before-seen condition. The new cognitive disorder includes enhanced symptoms of psychosis with emphasis on delusions and hallucinations. Unusual activity in the prefrontal cortex has been observed and is similar to that seen in frontotemporal dementia. Instead of shrinking the frontal lobe, it does not affect the size but instead messes with the patient's ability to tell the truth. The activity is spread throughout all of the brain but much more so in the prefrontal cortex. As far as the treatment for the new illness, general antipsychotics such as clozapine aren't enough to suppress the activity and instead cause it to spike up and cause the patient more distress. Dr. Gabriel Wilson, one of the main doctors that work alongside the patient, is not sure why these medications do not suppress the hallucinations and other symptoms of psychosis. The patient has undergone therapy, talked to a psychiatrist, and is in a psych ward. The treatment has helped minimally; the patient is still having severe symptoms. The doctors and psychologists assigned hope to fully understand this new disorder shortly, as this breakthrough could better the treatment of schizophrenia.