Discussion on schizophrenia from the liver in TCM

Schizophrenia is roughly equivalent to insanity in TCM.Premorbid personality traits of schizophrenia are similar to the characteristic of stagnation of liver in TCM.The stagnation of liver-qi is a usually cause and main differentiation type of schizophrenia.Early location of this disease is toward to the liver.The stagnant qi of the liver turns into fire,up to brain to interfere the activity of mind,then leads the disease into the acute phase;Stagnation of the liver-qi and the heart-fire affect other organs and lead the disease to its chronic phase:The change of solar term or dramatic disturbances of climate change often leads liver yang to interfere the mind,resulting in recurrence or relapses of schizophrenia.We should pay attention to rule of liver in the treatment,rehabilitation,prevention of recurrence in schizophrenia.When treating schizophrenia,we need pay attention to soothing liver,without inhibiting the sthenic liver-energy;suppressing the hyperactive liver by calming the liver and removing heat from the liver.Soothing liver and strengthening spleen,dispersing liver-qi and regulating stomach are the common treatment.For preventing degeneration,while nourishing liver and kidney,clearing heat and calming the mind should be used at same time;while nourishing liver yin,wind-dispersing,eliminating phlegm,clearing-stasis should be used at same time.Cleaning liver heat,nourishing yin,activating blood and detoxification should be paid attention to when preventing and treating the side effects caused by antipsychotic drugs.