PPiP II – Prevalence of Pathogenic antibodies In Psychosis.

Principal Investigator: Catherine Faruqi

The PPiP2 study (Prevalence of Pathogenic Antibodies I Psychosis), which identifies patients with psychosis with antibodies against a neuronal cell surface target, is currently suspended to recruitment.  This is because many of the research team with clinical qualifications have been redeployed and are supporting clinical services at this time of national emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic.   PPiP2 study participants who have taken part to date have all received the outcomes of their blood tests, and are being supported by their clinical teams, so no further research action needs to be taken at this time. The study team would like to thank those participants who have taken part so far and are keen emphasize that as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so, PPiP2 will reopen to recruitment once again.  In the meantime, please visit the SINAPPS website for further information and updates. 

The PPiP2 study (Prevalence of Pathogenic Antibodies in Psychosis) is an observational study running across 35 sites nationally. This clinical study follows on from research by the Oxford-based team who noted that psychosis is a common presenting feature in antibody-mediated encephalitis (inflammatory brain disease), and who showed in preliminary trials that treatment with immunotherapy usually led to remission.  

PPiP2 aims to establish how prevalent these membrane-receptor-antibodies are in patients who present with psychotic symptoms in mental health services.  For who those who test positive for these antibodies (by means of a blood test) immunotherapy may be an appropriate treatment. 

Thanks to the success of PPiP in establishing the presence of pathogenic antibodies in more than 7% of those tested, funding has been awarded to open clinical trials in four sites including Nottingham  to test the efficacy of immunotherapy as a treatment for antibody-mediated psychosis.   

The study was approved by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in August 2018

Recruitment will continue until November 2027.

Referral for this study must come through your care team.

For more information please contact:

Research Delivery Team - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or

Maddie Angel, Research Delivery Nurse - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tel: 07768556213

SNAPPER: The clinical and cost-effectiveness of Stimulant compared with Non-stimulant medication for adults with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and a history of Psychosis or biPolar disordER

Principal Investigator: Dr Z. Katshu

The aim of the snapper trial is to investigate how effective a stimulant medication (Lisdexamfetamine) is compared to a non-stimulant medication (Atomoxetine) in reducing the symptoms of ADHD in patients who also have bipolar or psychosis. Both medications are routinely used to treat ADHD and participants are randomly allocated to either the stimulant or non-stimulant group by a computer. Participants will meet with the research team at the beginning of the trail and at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. During these visits, questionnaires and interviews will be completed. Blood pressure and pulse will also be monitored regularly during the first 4 months by the clinical care team (this is done routinely for all patients taking either of these medications, whether or not they are taking part in the trial). After the trial visits finish, your doctor will discuss with you whether the treatment allocated to you in the trial will stop and if any changes are required to your medication.

The research team will give you £25 as a thank you for your time and support after completing the first visit, and then again after the visits at 6 and 12 months. We can also pay for your travel expenses if you had to travel to these visits. Please speak to a member of the research team for more details.

Planned recruitment end date: May 2026

For more information please contact:

Matea Svigac, Research Delivery Officer - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Catherine Jeynes, Senior Research Delivery Officer - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dr Katshu, Principal Investigator - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Severe Mental Illness Longitudinal Evaluation (SMILE) BioResource

---

Principal Investigator: Dr Devi Dhanapalan

The NIHR Severe Mental Illness Longitudinal Evaluation (SMILE) BioResource is a collaborative project between the NIHR BioResource, the University of Oxford, Cardiff University, King’s College London, and the University of Birmingham for the Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration (MH-TRC).

Severe Mental Illness (SMI) is a term that includes mental health disorders such as psychosis spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders, and severe mood disorders with psychotic symptoms. People with SMI experience debilitating problems that can be long-term. New treatments are needed because current medication and treatments are ineffective for some people, particularly with cognitive symptoms. Current medication may have significant side effects including risk for cardiometabolic disorders such as diabetes. We do not understand enough about causes of SMI, whether diagnostic structures are biologically valid, and how best to target new treatments.

A trained member of staff will collect blood or saliva and questionnaire data from people with SMI to create a resource to support our study and future studies investigating biological, social, and environment factors that influence the risk of a person experiencing SMI, and their symptoms. This will be achieved by assembling a cohort of people who consent for storage of their clinical data with a sample of blood or saliva; and who consent to be recalled based on data they provided.

We are screening for eligible participants from EIP referral lists. However, if anyone is interested get in touch with a member of the team to express interest.

The SMILE BioResource will invite patients with SMI to consent to:

• Donate either a blood sample or a saliva sample at a routine clinical appointment,
• Complete self-report measures of symptoms (PROMS) and a Health and Lifestyle Questionnaire,
• Relevant information being gathered from their health records, and by the treating team (CROMS),
• Contact for recall to future studies based on their data and biological sample.

Inclusion Criteria

An individual may only be enrolled as a study participant if:

• Able to give fully informed consent to participate in the study.
• Aged 16 years or above
• edical records contain a history of SMI that meets ICD-11 criteria for a diagnosis of psychosis or other severe mental illness.

Exclusion Criteria

An individual will not be enrolled as a study participant if:

• They are unable to provide a blood sample or a saliva sample.
• They are unable to complete any of the study measures (as assessed by a clinician/clinical researcher).

People who knowingly have a blood-based virus (BBV) – e.g. HIV – will not be permitted to provide a blood/saliva sample.

Sponsored by: University of Oxford

For more information please contact:

Madeleine Angel: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.