Name:	LD Rescan
Title:	Further studies of mental helath in young people with additional learning needs.
Researchers:	Prof David Owens, Prof Eve Johnstone, Prof Stephen Lawrie
Funding Body:	RS MacDonald Trust
Funding Awarded:	£27,000
Start Date:
End Date:

 

Summary

The Edinburgh High Risk Study of schizophrenia (EHRS) established certain predictors of illness in a genetically predisposed population. We subsequently sought to replicate these findings in another group at enhanced risk of developing schizophrenia, but for non-genetic reasons – namely, those with mild learning disabilities (whose risk is increased threefold). This cohort, selected from the education system and well at time of inclusion, was categorised in terms of a priori criteria derived from the EHRS and followed up twice between 1992 and 1997 with, amongst other assessments, neuropsychological and mental state evaluations and structural MRIs. The cohort was, when last seen, on average 17 years old, and hence had not get traversed the period of maximum risk of onset of schizophrenia. The present study is a final follow-up of the cohort in order to established those (if any) who have experienced progression in their mental state symptomatology, especially towards the development of schizophrenia.