Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is one of the most serious mental disorders and causes the greatest degree of disability, economic cost and individual and family suffering. This illness affects 21 million people in the world and, specifically, in Spain, the data indicate that approximately 400,000 Spaniards suffer from it. Life expectancy in people with schizophrenia is roughly reduced by almost 15 years due to an increase in physical health problems and a higher suicide rate. Schizophrenia usually begins in late adolescence or early adulthood, a very critical period in a young adult's social and professional development.

The main objective of the Schizophrenia Programme is the multidisciplinary study of this disease, trying to integrate research ranging from animal models to psychosocial interventions. All of this is aimed at reducing the gap between research and clinical practice.

The Schizophrenia programme is the one in which the largest number of groups are involved (12 research groups + 2 clinical linked groups). This programme has an extensive clinical, genetic and neuroimaging database. Important collaborative projects have been developed around this programme (non-commercial clinical trials, evolution of first episodes, genetics).

Lines of research

•          Study of follow-up and predictive variables in first psychotic episodes.
•          Study of neurobiological markers (genetic, immunological and neuroimaging) of the different symptomatological phenotypes of schizophrenia.
•          Study of the predictive variables of response (neuroimaging, neuro-immunology, neurophysiology) to the different pharmacological treatments.
•          To investigate the efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapeutic treatments in combination with the usual pharmacological treatments for schizophrenia.
•         Study of the repercussions of schizophrenia on the state of health, psychosocial adjustment, quality of life, levels of disability of the individual and on the patterns of service use by these patients and their influence on comorbidity.

Groups