Jean Addington - US grants

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Schizophrenia and other forms of psychosis affect approximately 3% of the population with a disorder that is usually chronic and disabling. The peak age of onset is between ages 18-30, occurring just as life's most productive years are beginning. Although genetic liability and abnormal brain development are known contributing factors, the etiology and pathophysiology of schizophrenia and related syndromes is largely unknown. To date, prospective observation of onset, i.e., the transition from vulnerability to disorder has not been possible because most persons at true risk cannot be identified premorbidly. This has hampered efforts at prevention. However, recent progress in risk ascertainment methodology has enabled reliable identification of help-seeking persons with pre-psychotic or prodromal clinical syndromes who develop psychosis within 1-2 years at rates between 20%-50%. Thus, clinical high-risk populations are now available for tracking prospectively the development and emergence of psychosis. However, because of the low incidence of schizophrenia and the heterogeneity of outcomes in clinical high-risk cases, single site studies cannot efficiently exploit the risk criteria in identifying predictors and mechanisms of psychosis. The NAPLS consortium was created to solve this problem. Eight NIMH-funded sites in North America studying prodromal patients using a common prodromal assessment instrument pooled data to create the largest sample of such persons worldwide (N=291), 35% of whom converted to psychosis after 2 years. An algorithm of baseline data was generated predicting psychosis with about 80% positive predictive power and 40% sensitivity. In this revised proposal, we describe a collaborative prospective study for which we will recruit 800 cases and 400 appropriate controls over 5 years using common, standardized clinical and neurobiological measures. The aim is to collect a sample with sufficient size and power to rigorously test elements critical to the liability for and development of psychosis in the biomarker domains of brain structure, electrophysiology, stress hormones, and genomics, and in the clinical domains of prodromal presentation and epidemiology. The revised proposal addresses reviewers' concerns, including the integration of the research plan and measures into a unifying framework. The findings will enhance our ability to identify persons at high risk for imminent psychosis, by refining predictors of conversion, and expanding our understanding of the underlying neural mechanisms. Such knowledge is critical for future efforts at early detection, intervention and prevention of psychotic disorders. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Preventing schizophrenia and other psychoses could relieve an enormous burden of personal and family suffering and economic losses to society. This 8-site project aims to increase our ability to identify high-risk individuals prior to onset and to pinpoint neurobiological changes that underlie the emergence of a psychotic disorder. These efforts are critical to the development of effective preventative intervention strategies for psychotic disorders.

? DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are serious and debilitating mental illnesses that incur substantial suffering for patients and major challenges to our health care system. The clinical high-risk (CHR) prodromal phase is the period prior to the onset of psychosis when clinical symptoms gradually emerge and function declines. The presence of a CHR syndrome in young adults is associated with heightened risk (~30%) for the later development of psychosis. The North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS) and other CHR studies have made substantial progress towards predicting psychosis, and in showing an accelerated reduction in prefrontal cortex (PFC) gray matter (GM) density in CHR converters from pre- to post-psychosis onset, but the mechanisms driving conversion remain elusive, partly because no studies include repeated measures prior to the onset of psychosis. In NAPLS2, we found that disrupted resting-state (rs) thalamo- cortical functional connectivity prior to psychosis predicts conversion and correlates with rate of GM decline, but we do not know if rs-dysconnectivity is progressive during the prodrome. Furthermore, in NAPLS2, plasma markers of pro-inflammatory cytokines at baseline predicted the rate of GM loss in converters; these same markers also correlated with rs-dysconnectivity. We do not yet know whether these inflammatory markers drive the changes in brain structure/function or are consequences of these changes. Similarly, higher levels of cortisol, and lower mismatch negativity predicted psychosis and the rate of PFC GM decline and were correlated with each other and with measures of rs-connectivity and cytokines. This application is a competitive renewal for a nine-site, longitudinal study aimed at identifying the brain processes underlying the progression of the clinical syndromes that characterize the psychosis prodrome. The goals are: 1) to determine the pre-onset trajectories of GM decline and disrupted resting-state brain connectivity in CHR individuals who develop psychosis using MRI, and 2) to identify inflammatory and plasticity mechanisms associated with transition to psychosis. Over a two-year period, the study will repeatedly measure these indicators, and at the same time examine changes in physiological indices of brain function, social and cognitive functioning, and symptom progression. The multi-site collaboration will follow large CHR (n= 378) and demographically matched comparison (n= 162) samples that will undergo comprehensive assessments of biological and behavioral changes. This approach will answer important questions about the origins of the brain changes that give rise to psychosis and will provide insights into likely approaches to halting or mitigatig the pathological process and advance our understanding of risk prediction, both critical steps in prevention.

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are serious and debilitating mental illnesses that incur substantial suffering for patients and major challenges to our health care and legal systems. The prodrome is the period prior to onset of psychosis when functional decline and clinical symptoms gradually emerge. The presence of a clinical high-risk (CHR) syndrome in young adults is associated with heightened risk (25-35%) for the later development of psychosis, and for those who do not necessarily go on to develop a psychotic illness, research has suggested that the majority continue to have fluctuating subthreshold symptoms and poor social and role functioning. There are no specific treatments to help with these functional difficulties. However, recent findings suggest that in people with schizophrenia, Cognitive Behavioral and Social Skills Training (CBSST) leads to significantly greater increase in the frequency of social functioning activities compared to treatment as usual or goal- focused supportive therapy, and preliminary data suggest CBSST is a feasible treatment for CHR. This application is a competitive application for a three-site, longitudinal study aimed at testing the effectiveness and feasibility as well as mediators and mechanisms of action of a manualized CBSST intervention that will target functional difficulties associated with clinical risk states for psychosis. The goals are 1) to examine whether CBSST compared to a placebo intervention (psychoeducation) matched for group involvement and therapist time improves functioning in youth at CHR and 2) to determine whether reduction in defeatist beliefs and improvement in social competence mediate change in psychosocial functioning in CHR youth in the CBSST. In this single-blind randomized 2-arm trial participants will be randomized to one of two treatments: CBSST, an 18-week group comprised of three modules; 1) Cognitive Skills; 2) Social Skills; and 3) Problem Solving, or a psychoeducation support group that does not teach active cognitive behavioral therapy or social skills training. Over a five-year period, te multi-site collaboration will follow large CHR sample that will undergo comprehensive assessments of psychosocial and behavioral changes, to examine changes in social and role functioning, as well as symptom changes from baseline to the end of treatment, and to 6 month follow-up. This approach will demonstrate the feasibility of a treatment for which it is easy to train therapists and which can readily be disseminated to regular clinical community practice. In addition, it will provide insights into likely approaches to halting or mitigating the pathological process and advance our understanding of risk prediction; both critical steps in prevention.

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are serious and debilitating mental illnesses that incur substantial suffering for patients and major challenges to our health care and legal systems. The prodrome is the period prior to onset of psychosis when functional decline and clinical symptoms gradually emerge. The presence of a clinical high-risk (CHR) syndrome in young adults is associated with heightened risk (25-35%) for the later development of psychosis, and for those who do not necessarily go on to develop a psychotic illness, research has suggested that the majority continue to have fluctuating subthreshold symptoms and poor social and role functioning. There are no specific treatments to help with these functional difficulties. However, recent findings suggest that in people with schizophrenia, Cognitive Behavioral and Social Skills Training (CBSST) leads to significantly greater increase in the frequency of social functioning activities compared to treatment as usual or goal- focused supportive therapy, and preliminary data suggest CBSST is a feasible treatment for CHR. This application is a competitive application for a three-site, longitudinal study aimed at testing the effectiveness and feasibility as well as mediators and mechanisms of action of a manualized CBSST intervention that will target functional difficulties associated with clinical risk states for psychosis. The goals are 1) to examine whether CBSST compared to a placebo intervention (psychoeducation) matched for group involvement and therapist time improves functioning in youth at CHR and 2) to determine whether reduction in defeatist beliefs and improvement in social competence mediate change in psychosocial functioning in CHR youth in the CBSST. In this single-blind randomized 2-arm trial participants will be randomized to one of two treatments: CBSST, an 18-week group comprised of three modules; 1) Cognitive Skills; 2) Social Skills; and 3) Problem Solving, or a psychoeducation support group that does not teach active cognitive behavioral therapy or social skills training. Over a five-year period, te multi-site collaboration will follow large CHR sample that will undergo comprehensive assessments of psychosocial and behavioral changes, to examine changes in social and role functioning, as well as symptom changes from baseline to the end of treatment, and to 6 month follow-up. This approach will demonstrate the feasibility of a treatment for which it is easy to train therapists and which can readily be disseminated to regular clinical community practice. In addition, it will provide insights into likely approaches to halting or mitigating the pathological process and advance our understanding of risk prediction; both critical steps in prevention.