Women and Schizophrenia

Gender impacts significantly on the onset and nature of schizophrenia suffered by women: the female brain develops more rapidly than the male; estrogens produce antipsychotic effects; the female brain ages differently from the male, with a massive preponderance of female very-late-onset schizophrenia that may be related to a relative excess of dopamine D2 receptors. This comprehensive review is as much about women as it is about schizophrenia, encompassing the biological, endocrinological, epidemiological, reproductive, psychological, and social aspects of schizophrenia as experienced by women. An international, multidisciplinary team of clinicians and mental health researchers review past and current literature, and also assess sex-specific issues and evaluate their therapeutic, clinical, and social implications for more appropriate and effective treatments of schizophrenia in women now and in the future. This volume is essential reading for all clinicians, practitioners, and researchers involved with mental health and with women's health.