Physicians Update WINTER 201 4 Psychiatry Issue Schizophrenia p. 1 Autism p. 3 FOCUS Project p. 6 Alzheimer’s Disease p. 8 Depression p. 10 PSYCHIATRY New Approaches to Improve Schizophrenia Symptoms New strategies to improve the lives of people with schizophrenia are beginning to emerge, from improved medications to effective cognitive-training programs. “This is a very exciting period in the development of treatments for schizophrenia,” says UCLA psychiatrist Stephen Marder, MD. “There are already some new approaches offering benefits out there, with a very strong possibility of other treatments becoming available very soon.” Dr. Marder notes that it is important for physicians to recognize that the apathy and lack of motivation and social interest shown by people with schizophrenia is not laziness but part of the illness, and that these new approaches may help them. The same is true for the cognitive deficits, such as impaired attention, memory and decision- making capabilities. continued on p. 4