PRIME Research Clinic

The Prodrome:

The word "prodromal" refers to the beginning or precursor symptoms of an illness. At PRIME, we use the word "prodromal" to refer to the "at risk" stage of psychosis, when an individual is experiencing mild symptoms, but is not yet psychotic.

Early Course of Psychotic Illness:

Individuals who are at risk for developing a psychotic illness usually experience mental and emotional changes before more serious symptoms develop. These early signs of risk (see "Eligibility and Risk Identification") are often non-specific, sometimes even barely noticeable. An unexpected decline in a person's usual way of functioning or relating to others may be an indicator that she/he is in the prodromal phase of psychosis.

The goal of the PRIME Research Clinic is to identify individuals who, based on their symptomatic presentation and overall level of functioning, may be in the early stages of developing a psychotic illness.

Early Identification and Intervention:

The goal of early identification and intervention is to minimize a decline in functioning and maximize the return to a premorbid level of functioning.

By identifying and treating the early signs of risk, it is hoped that a psychotic episode might be delayed, prevented, or reduced in intensity.

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