Mind the gap – pathways to psychosis

"There is reasonably consistent evidence that childhood maltreatment is associated with psychosis in adulthood. The focus of research has now shifted to the potential mechanisms that underlie this association. In a direct pathway,
abusive experiences quickly result in psychotic or subclinical symptoms that persist into adulthood where they are diagnosed as a full-blown psychotic disorder. Alternatively, childhood maltreatment could affect an individual’s
biology, psychology and/or behaviour and subsequently lead to the development of psychosis several years later. Once these pathways have been elucidated, can clinicians provide timely interventions to prevent the emergence of psychotic
disorders amongst maltreated children?..."

http://www.thepsychologist.org.uk/archive/archive_home.cfm?volumeID=26&editionID=232&ArticleID=2363

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