Estimating Prevalence of Inherited Disorders of Sulfur Amino Acids Metabolism in Patients With Psychotic...
Inherited Metabolic Disorder of Nervous SystemSchizophreniaScreening for sulfur amino acid metabolism pathologies using a sulfitest in adult patients with psychotic disorder.
M1 Schizophrenia PET Study
SchizophreniaSchizoaffective Disorder1 moreThis exploratory study seeks to examine M1 receptor availability in SZ patients and to relate M1 receptor availability to proximal and distal measures of cognitive performance, namely evoked ɣ oscillations in the EEG and verbal memory. Furthermore, the relationship between hippocampal [11C]EMO availability (BPND), evoked ɣ oscillations, verbal memory, and measures of illness severity will be explored.
Improving Outcome in Schizophrenia Through Identification of Genetic Risk Factors
SchizophreniaSchizoaffective Disorder2 moreThe goals of this study are to replicate previous findings of genetic predictors of response to clozapine and other antipsychotic drugs.
Psychotherapy for Psychosis, Adverse Events, and Substance Misuse
Psychotic DisordersStress Disorders2 morePeople with psychosis have significantly higher rates of adversity (e.g., abuse) and substance misuse (i.e., problematic drug and alcohol use) than people with other mental illnesses. Research has found that adversity and substance use both negatively influence recovery from a psychotic disorder. Currently, there are few treatment options for people living with psychosis, substance misuse, and adversity-related symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression). This is especially true for young adults who are in the first years of a psychotic illness (i.e., early phase psychosis; EPP) who may be in the best position to benefit from treatment because they have not been ill for as long as others with more chronic psychosis (i.e., >10 years). Research has demonstrated that Prolonged Exposure (PE), a psychological therapy that helps improve adversity-related symptoms, may be appropriate for people in EPP, although there is limited evidence regarding its adaptation from use in chronic psychosis to EPP. The aim of the proposed study is to adapt and optimize PE therapy for young adults in EPP. We aim to recruit 20 individuals from the Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program (NSEPP) aged 19-35 who will participate in 15 sessions of adapted PE; we will compare their scores before and after treatment on measures of psychotic symptoms, amount and frequency of substance use, and adversity-related problems. Our goal is to target two factors that may be contributing to and maintaining negative outcomes: avoidance and hopelessness. These factors will be addressed by asking participants to face feared reminders of adversity and learn new ways to think about adverse experiences and mental health problems. The adaptation and application of this evidence-based intervention has the potential to create a new treatment avenue for EPP, reducing impairment and distress, and improving recovery rates.
Computer-assisted Risk Evaluation in the Early Detection of Psychotic Disorders
Psychotic DisordersPreventionMulticenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) with artificial intelligence (AI)-staged early diagnostics and risk-adapted treatment (RAB) as interventional treatment arm and treatment-as-usual (TAU) as control treatment arm for patients with an increased clinical risk for psychosis.
Impact of an Early Identification Program for First-Episode Psychosis on the Duration of Untreated...
Psychotic EpisodeThe First-Episode Psychosis (FPE) is a severe disorder that can include delusions, cognitive disorders and suicidal behavior. In the majority of cases (more than 80%) it evolves into schizophrenia. Numerous studies show that the rapidity of the initial management of FPE would reduce the risk of negative evolution and would have a decisive impact on the short and long term prognosis. The rapidity of this management can be measured by the duration of untreated psychosis, or DUP (Duration of Untreated Psychosis), the time interval between the appearance of the first frank psychotic symptoms and the initiation of adequate psychiatric care. The objective of this study is to show the impact of an intervention facilitating access to specialized care for PEP on the reduction of DUP. This intervention consists of an early identification program for FPE, the PRESTO program, specifically targeting 3 determining steps in the reduction of DUP: Informing the general population about psychotic disorders Knowledge of front line actors (APL: general practitioners, school and university medicine, teenager's house, associative networks educators, emergency services, firefighters, etc.) about FPE and its management Articulation between APL and specialized psychiatric care
California Collaborative Network to Promote Data Driven Care and Improve Outcomes in Early Psychosis...
First Episode Psychosis (FEP)The proposed project seeks to create a California early psychosis network using a core assessment battery of valid, low burden measures and mHealth technology platform to collect client-level data, visualize data via clinician dashboard for treatment planning, and integrate across clinics to provide de-identified data to the national coordinating hub. Research capacity for the network will be tested via development and validation of a measure of the Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP) that is feasible for use in community settings. The proposed California network will contribute systematically collected outcomes data on over 100 FEP clients per year, from 12 community and university EP clinics, to enhance the development of a national EP network, supported by the NIMH EPINET program.
Pilot Study 1: Efficacy and Safety of Sublingual Dexmedetomidine (BXCL501) for the Treatment of...
AgitationSchizophrenia3 moreThis is a single-arm pilot study to examine the impact of BXCL501 (sublingual film formulation of dexmedetomidine) administration on reducing the severity of undifferentiated acute agitation in patients presenting to the emergency department with underlying bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. This study is designed to evaluate BXCL501 for its FDA-approved indication -- treatment of agitation associated with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia -- applied in the emergency department setting.
Bridging Gaps in the Neuroimaging Puzzle: New Ways to Image Brain Anatomy and Function in Health...
HealthyEpilepsy2 moreThe human brain presents outstanding challenges to science and medicine. Brain function and structure span broad spatial scales (from single neurons to brain-wide networks) as well as temporal scales (from milliseconds to years). Currently, none of the tools available for studying the brain can fully capture its structure and function across these diverse scales - "the neuroimaging puzzle". This poses crucial limitations to understanding how the brain works, and how it is affected by numerous diseases. The central goal of this project is to expand currently available tools for non-invasive human brain imaging, to bridge critical gaps in the neuroimaging puzzle. New methodologies will be developed, focused on ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging (UHF MRI) and its combination with electroencephalography (EEG). New contrast mechanisms and technological advances enabled by UHF MRI and EEG will be explored to allow unprecedented views into the microstructure of brain regions like the thalamus, and to capture the activity of large-scale neuronal networks in the brain with high sensitivity, temporal and spatial specificity. These advances will be directly applied to address open questions in the diagnosis and treatment of essential tremor, and psychosis. In general, improved brain imaging techniques are critical for a deeper understanding of how the brain works, and to detect and characterize diseases more effectively, thereby improving clinical management and leading to a healthier population. The non-invasive characterization and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases like tremor is particularly relevant to aging modern societies.
Psychosis TMS Study
PsychosisThe main goal of this study is to investigate the neural mechanisms of working memory function in patients with early psychosis using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in conjunction with functional MRI. TMS is a noninvasive method used to modulate brain activity via changing magnetic fields applied over the surface of the scalp.