WP5: Discovery and Validation of the PSYSCAN Tool

W.P Leader
René Kahn

Objectives of the Work Package

The main objective of WP5 is to develop a quantitative and objective tool for the prediction of the course and outcome of psychosis at an individual level. This will be achieved by combining the predictive values of measures of psychopathology, brain structure and function, cognition and biological markers in blood.

Description of the tasks

250 participants who are at clinical high risk (CHR) for developing psychosis, 500 patients who experienced a first episode of psychosis (FEP), and 150 healthy controls will be included in this study. At baseline, psychopathology will be examined using questionnaires and interviews, brain structure and function are measured with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), cognition will be assessed using a computerised battery of neuropsychological tests, and blood samples are drawn to determine levels of genetic and immune parameters.


Participants are followed up for one year (FEP patients) or two years (CHR subjects and healthy controls), and assessments are repeated at certain time points. Using state-of-the-art machine learning techniques, we will extract discriminative information from our high-dimensional data set in order to predict psychosis outcome at the level of the individual. Examples of predictions are the transition to psychosis of UHR participants or the recovery of FEP patients.


Data will be used to develop a quantitative and objective tool that will enable healthcare professionals to tailor psychiatric care to the particular needs of each patient.


Read more about FEP cohort


Read more about UHR cohort