About the project
Schizophrenia has a profound impact on the person above and beyond symptoms. How persons with such a devastating mental illness recover and the possible predictors of positive clinical outcome has until recently been of limited interest to researchers. So far, there has been no study of resilience and neurocognition as predictors of remission and full recovery from schizophrenia. This is the first prospective longitudinal study on first-episode psychosis that examines neurocognition with a consensus cognitive battery (MCCB) and resilience as possible predictors of recovery during the early course of illness and investigates the stability and rate of full recovery during a 10-year follow up using consensus based definitions of remission and full recovery in schizophrenia.
Studying persons with schizophrenia who are in remission and/or in full recovery will contribute to our understanding of prognosis and create hope among patients and their relatives that recovery from schizophrenia is possible.
Background
The aim of this study is in accordance with the change in political and health policy to ensure that mental health services are recovery - orientated. Results from this study will therefore contribute to knowledge in an area of schizophrenia research which is of great interest to health policy makers.
Objectives
In this study we will investigate possible mechanisms for remission and full recovery in schizophrenia, using consensus based criteria.
The MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery – a consensus battery for neuropsychological assessment is used to measure neurocognitive function. In addition, standardized clinical instruments are used. 28 subjects are included in the study and are assessed for the presence or absence of illness symptoms, level of neurocognitive function and resilience once a year in a 10- year period.
A prospective longitudinal design is chosen because this is the best procedure for investigating predictors of prognosis in schizophrenia ensuring information about the course over time. Moreover, several assessments account for fluctuations or stability in functioning over time.
The results may identify characteristics of persons who recovers and thereby generate increased knowledge of heterogeneity in schizophrenia and the possibilities of recovery.
Financing
The project is supported by grants from The Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo.
Cooperation
This is an on-going research project with national and international cooperation partners; The psychosis unit of the Mental Health division, Vestre Viken Health Trust and the University of Boston and the University California Los Angeles (UCLA).