schizophrenia Archives

Autoimmune encephalitis and psychiatric disorders

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Daniela Reisz studies the human mind from neurological, psychiatric, and philosophical perspectives, including brain-derived functions like morals, thinking, behaviour and cognition. Here, through the study of a rare case of autoimmune encephalitis, she develops a broader approach to psychiatric disorders including their biological causes.

Despite the latest advances in medical research, the causes of psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia (a long-term illness that affects the person’s perception of reality) remain a puzzle for researchers and doctors around the world. Unlocking the mechanisms behind these diseases is paramount for effectively treating or even preventing them. Through her study of an uncommon case of autoimmune encephalitis, […]

Mental Health: Why is stigma increasing?

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Efforts have increased to combat mental health stigma over the past few decades. But why, paradoxically, are rates of prejudice and discrimination rising for those with severe mental illness? Research reveals that the biomedical model of mental illness has increased rates of stigma for those living with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Despite small gains in public perceptions of people living […]

Predicting treatment resistance in schizophrenia patients

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Schizophrenia is a severe and often debilitating mental disorder. While antipsychotic medications aim to alleviate the symptoms, about a third of patients with schizophrenia are treatment-resistant. Dr Olesya Ajnakina, a Research Fellow at King’s College London, combines state-of-the-art methods in statistical analyses, such as machine learning, to develop prediction models aiming to identify patients at risk of developing treatment-resistant schizophrenia, […]