ELSI-NAPS
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Novel Neurobiological Approaches to Psychosis and Schizophrenia: A Qualitative Study
IRAS ID
225614
Contact name
Paolo Corsico
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders have a lifetime prevalence of 0.4 to 1 percent in the general population. Psychotic disorders are characterized by severely debilitating symptoms including hallucinations, delusions, disorganised speech, social withdrawal and diminished emotional expression.\n\nIn recent years, the development of novel medical technologies has boosted clinical research into the neurobiology of psychotic disorders to an unprecedented scale. On the one hand, the widespread use of imaging techniques such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is shedding light on the neurobiological correlates of psychotic disorders. On the other hand, the increased accessibility of DNA sequencing technologies is pushing the development of psychiatric genomics towards the identification of risk factors for psychosis and schizophrenia.\n\nTogether with exciting opportunities for clinical translation, the advances described above have the potential to unveil an intricate knot of ethical, legal, and social issues at the intersection of mental health research and psychiatric care. Whereas some of these issues have already been identified within the scientific debate, a qualitative exploration of relevant stakeholders’ perspectives has not been conducted to date. Therefore, the present study will investigate the following research question: How do different social actors value and respond to the ethical issues related to the implementation of novel neurobiological approaches to psychosis and schizophrenia?\n\nThe study will include individual semi-structured interviews with approximately 20 researchers and 20 mental health professionals working in NHS facilities or in a research university. In addition, the study will include three focus groups with carers of individuals with a psychotic disorder. Data collection will last for 12 months, and will take place in NHS Mental Health Trusts and research universities in England. Overall, the present study aims to support the ethical introduction of neuroscientific and genomic advances in clinical research and psychiatric care for people affected by psychosis or schizophrenia.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/NW/0315
Date of REC Opinion
12 Jul 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion