Depression and schizophrenia

Summary Depressive symptoms commonly occur in schizophrenia and have a significant impact on the distress and burden of the illness. Yet they are often overlooked, inadequately characterised by current classification systems and not consistently integrated into treatment. We discuss nosology, practical and clinical implications of symptom differentiation, and the role of causal and confounding factors, including iatrogenic, as targets for therapeutic intervention. The evidence base of psychosocial and psychotropic management is reviewed, with recommendations for the treatment of established syndromal depression in people with schizophrenia.