Researchers make promising breakthrough in early detection of psychosis

A new probability model developed by researchers in the University of Adelaide’s Discipline of Psychiatry has shown 70% accuracy in predicting patients who are at greatest risk of having their first psychotic episode within 12 months, compared with the 28% accuracy of the current criteria for those who are at “ultra-high risk”.

The new model combines medical history, the latest bedside clinical assessment, and biomarkers of fatty acids to determine a patient’s risk of psychosis. In this preliminary study, the researchers used data from 40 European patients.

Speaking during Mental Health Week (9-15 October), lead author Dr Scott Clark from the Discipline of Psychiatry says: "Of those patients who are considered to be ‘ultra-high risk’, only about 30% of them go on to experience a psychotic episode in the long-term. A more reliable and flexible method of prediction is needed to tailor care appropriately for the people who need it most.

The probability model developed by Dr Clark and colleagues takes into account the critical role of fatty acids as well as mental health assessments.

“Fatty acids such as omega-3 and nervonic acid are critical for the normal functioning of the brain, and low levels have been associated with the development of psychosis in high-risk groups,” Dr Clark says.

“In our model, fatty acid levels provided improved accuracy of prediction when patients were at intermediate risk following clinical assessment.”

Read the full research paper here:

Prediction of transition from ultra-high risk to first-episode psychosis using a probabilistic model combining history, clinical assessment and fatty-acid biomarkers

http://www.nature.com/tp/journal/v6/n9/full/tp2016170a.html

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Is this just for first break or can it tell you before you’re about to have another?

dose this happen after taking brain builders like sarcosine long after the stop useage of it.

Now the next objective is to find out how to prevent people from going full blown psychotic.

is nervonic acid found in flaxseed