- UMCG, Lentis, GGZ Friesland, GGZ Drenthe, Mediant, Dimence, GGNet, Yulius, Parnassia
Cooperation
- UMC Utrecht, AMC Amsterdam en Universiteit Maastricht met de daaraan verbonden ggz-instellingen
Period
2003 …
Finance
>€ 1.500.000
Finance by
- ZonMw, UMCG, GGz-instellingen, farmaceutische industrieën
Status
in uitvoering
Contact(s)
dr. A.A. Bartels-Velthuis (Agna)
UMCG, UCP, RGOc
telefoon: 050-3612074
e-mail: a.a.bartels@umcg.nl
Abstract
The Dutch Geestkracht program serves a dual purpose that consequently can also be encountered in this project proposal. The first aim is to reinforce the research infrastructure in routine mental health service settings, in collaboration with academic partners. The second aim is to actually develop and carry out high-quality research projects, also in the context of partnerships between academic and mental health centres. The proposal has been conceived to take into account both aims of the Geestkracht program. For this purpose two cohorts are formed, 1) a population-based cohort of patients in their first episode of psychosis, and 2) a cohort of their siblings. Combining research on these two cohorts will enable us to achieve the dual purpose of establishing a robust and long-lasting research infrastructure related to psychoses in the Netherlands and to contribute, realistically more in the longer than in the shorter term, to knowledge that will improve the lot of the mentally ill, in particular those with psychotic disorders.These cohorts will be formed in order to directly test hypotheses about i) the dynamic interaction, over time, between protective and vulnerability factors that may give rise to need for care in the context of psychotic vulnerability, ii) patterns of familial transmission of vulnerability and protective factors, iii) identification of genetic variation contributing to vulnerability and protective factors.A consortium of four academic psychiatric centres with their affiliated mental health care institutions in catchment areas in Amsterdam, Groningen, Maastricht and Utrecht covering over 5 million inhabitants – about one third of the total Dutch population – will establish a population-based cohort of first-episode psychosis and a cohort of subjects at risk. It is expected that the recruitment should result in a cohort of around 1000 consenting psychotic patients within 3 years. Of the probands, at least one sibling and their parents will be asked to participate. Expected is that 1000 siblings and about 300 pairs of parents will consent and fully participate in the study. Three hundred normal controls will be followed as well. All subjects will be assessed at baseline with a repeated investigation of functional status of patients, siblings and controls at 3 and 6 year follow-up. Parents will be interviewed and tested once. The instruments and tests chosen for this study are focused on: 1. symptomatology, 2. risk and protective factors, including treatment, 3. course and outcome.The proposed study is extremely relevant as it addresses the essential issue of secondary prevention in the early phase of psychotic illness, enables multidisciplinary research (ranging from biochemical to social levels) and has its focus on risk as well as protective factors by using sibling inclusion. A collaborative research program of such a magnitude and mutual commitment is unique and will bridge the divide between the academic world and the regional mental health services.The three measurements have been completed.A fourth measurement (online assessment) will take place in 2015.