Psychological intervention, antipsychotic medication or a combined treatment for adolescents with a first episode of psychosis: the MAPS feasibility three-arm RCT

 

Click here for National Institute of Health Review full article here

Befriending programmes for people with psychosis can be challenging but beneficial to both parties

 Befriending programmes are designed to help people who are likely to be socially isolated. This could be due to illness, including mental illness, or old age. Befrienders are often volunteers who make a commitment to have regular meetings with an individual they are put in touch with, often via a service.

Read National Institute of Health Research Evidence here

Scientists identify workflow algorithm to predict psychosis

Cleverly combining artificial and human intelligence leads to improved prevention of psychosis in young patients.

Read ScienceDaily article here

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Long-acting antipsychotic therapy plus cognitive training show promise for schizophrenia

 Patients who received the combination therapy had increased cognition and functioning

For ScienceDaily article click here

An online supported self-management toolkit for relatives of people with psychosis or bipolar experiences: the IMPART multiple case study

There were many factors impacting on implementation of the toolkit, including high staff caseloads, technical difficulties and lack of training, but staff and relatives were generally positive about the concept.  Click here for further details. 

National Clinical Audit of Psychosis-Early intervention in Psychosis 2019-2020 - England Report

This report provides national and organisation-level findings on the treatment of people by early intervention in psychosis (EIP) teams in England, collected as part of the National Clinical Audit of Psychosis (NCAP).  Click here for further details.

Rehabilitation for adults with complex psychosis - NICE guideline [NG181]

 This guideline aims to ensure people can have rehabilitation when they need it and promotes a positive approach to long-term recovery. It includes recommendations on organising services, care planning, and meeting people’s physical healthcare needs.

Click here for NICE guidance

Targeted treatment for depression could benefit patients with psychosis

 Patients with early onset psychosis may benefit from treatment for depression, including with anti-depressants alongside other medication, new research shows.

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Prescribing guidelines for patients with a first episode psychosis

Read NICE guidance here

Cognitive function in people with mental illness

A study has shown few differences in the profiles of genes that influence cognition between people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and the general population. This surprising finding could provide new insights into therapies designed to improve cognition.Read ScienceDaily article here

Use of out-of-area rehabilitation placements for adults with complex psychosis should be curtailed says NICE

A new draft NICE guideline published today (20 December 2019) on the rehabilitation of adults with complex psychosis and related mental health conditions says they should have access to rehabilitation services in their local area and the use of out-of-area placements limited. Click here to read NICE news piece

Growing up in poverty increases diagnoses of psychosis-spectrum mental illnesses

Growing up in impoverished urban neighborhoods more than doubles your chances over the average person of developing a psychosis-spectrum disorder by the time you reach middle adulthood, according to a new study of nearly 4,000 families who were monitored over 30 years. Read ScienceDaily article here

Childhood Trauma Linked to Later Psychotic Experiences

A new study from the U.K. has found greater evidence for a link between trauma in childhood and psychotic experiences by 18 years old. Click here to read PsychCentral article

Brain Imaging Shows How LSD Alters Perception

In a new study, researchers from the University of Zurich in Switzerland used brain imaging technology to investigate how LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide, or “acid”) appears to alter a healthy person’s perception of reality. Read PsychCentral article here

Brain Imaging Can Detect Early-Stage Psychosis

A new study shows that brain imaging techniques can detect the development of psychosis in high-risk patients at an early stage. Researchers from the University of Basel in Switzerland and Western University in Canada stated that detecting psychosis early increases the chances of effective treatment. Click here to read PsychCentral article

Exercise Before Psychosis Drug Prevents High Blood Sugar in Mice

Canadian researchers have found that mice who engage in a single bout of intense exercise right before taking a dose of the antipsychotic drug olanzapine (Zyprexa) do not experience a drug-induced increase in blood sugar, a common side effect of the medication. Click here to read PsychCentral article

Sibling bullying makes psychotic disorders three times more likely

People who were bullied by siblings during childhood are up to three times more likely to develop psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia in early adulthood, according to new research. The researchers found that the more frequently children are involved in sibling bullying -- either as bully, victim, or both -- the more likely they are to develop a psychotic disorder. View article from ScienceDaily here

Environment May Play Major Role in Psychosis

A new study finds that rates of psychosis can be close to eight times higher in some regions compared to others. The findings suggest that environmental factors, in addition to genetics influence the development of psychosis. Click here for PsychCentral article

Scientific Meeting » Harmonizing Clinical Data Collection in Community-Based Treatment Programs for First-Episode Psychosis

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) plans to develop an Early Psychosis Intervention Network (EPINET) among Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) programs for first-episode psychosis (FEP). EPINET will be based on the principles of “learning healthcare,” in which science, informatics, and organizational culture are aligned to achieve continuous improvement, innovation, and implementation of best practices in clinical services.  Click here for article.

Combined Performance Summary - October 2017

This publication from NHS England summarises the data around NHS performance for October 2017. It contains a summary of the monthly performance statistics on:

• NHS 111
• ambulance quality indicators
• A&E attendances and emergency admissions
• waiting times for diagnostic tests, referral to treatment for consultant-led elective care and cancer services;
• delayed transfers of care; and
• early intervention in psychosis