In the second part of this course Professor Correll will review the complex pharmacology of clozapine thought to underlay its unique efficacy and safety profile. He will dissect the different mechanisms of action which could be leveraged as molecular targets for innovative antipsychotic agent development and review clinical translational aspects, including tolerability and efficacy. Professor Paola Dazzan, will ask “Is our mistake trying to identify a “homogeneous” schizophrenia construct?” While some pathophysiological processes are common to schizophrenia subtypes, others vary widely. Enhanced statistical approaches, such as factor analysis or machine learning, can aid the study of schizophrenia as a complex and heterogeneous disorder, as can novel methodologies taking varying biological or psychosocial contributors into account. Flexible time-points may better capture fluctuating changes in biological systems during symptomatic relapse or while in recovery.
Exploring and implementing these different approaches can help disentangle the heterogeneity of schizophrenia. Professor Sir Robin Murray will present findings from the INTREPID study of Psychosis in the Global South; a multi-study programme of research in India, Nigeria and Trinidad studying the incidence, risk factors, phenomenology, aetiology, course, help-seeking, impact and outcomes of psychotic disorders in diverse settings.
During this session you will:
- Learn how the complex pharmacology of clozapine affects its efficacy and what that might mean for clinical practice and drug development.
- Understand how the complexity of "psychosis" influences how we structure our research questions and what we can learn from our research.
- Understand the emergent findings from the largest study of psychosis in the Global South, and how this informs future study and practice in psychosis.
Chair: Fiona Gaughran, National Psychosis Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
Christoph Correll, The Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, New York, USA
Paola Dazzan, King's College London, United Kingdom
Robin Murray, King's College London, United Kingdom
