Lumen Winter 2015 - Flipbook - Page 21
stor y by Ren ée Cap p s
Predicting the
course of mental illness
University of Adelaide researcher Professor
Bernhard Baune’s work in mental illness is speciÞcally
looking at an alternative way to diagnose and treat
patients with psychosis and depression.
W
ith a focus on young people,
Bernhard’s current work is
looking at both clinical markers,
(which include clinical symptoms, cognitive
abilities and MRI scans) and biological
markers in patients’ blood to predict the
course an illness will take. His hope is that
this will lead to earlier treatment options
and better outcomes for patients.
“For a long time researchers have been
looking at clinical markers to predict the
onset, course or treatment of illnesses.
So the question isn’t new, but we believe
the answer will be new and different,”
Bernhard said.
As Head of Psychiatry at the University,
his study is looking at the biology of mental
illness, what is actually happening in the
brain and if you can test this using biomarkers.
If his theory is proven, the process would
require a simple blood test followed by
analysis to predict the course of the illness.
While psychosis and depression are
different for each person, the illnesses
tend to follow one of four courses ranging
from one episode with full recovery
through to an episode leading
to severe permanent decline.
Currently, at the start of an illness
everyone is treated in the same way. When
the first signs of psychosis or depression
occur, psychiatrists cannot predict which
course the illness will take and treatment
becomes reactive rather than preventative.
Bernhard says the onset of an illness
is a critical period where multiple
assessments need to be performed to
predict what will happen in the future.
“Once you are in a better position to
predict the course of the illness, you are in
a better position to select the treatment.”
The difficulty in this research is that
there are hundreds, if not thousands, of
numbers and combinations of biomarkers.
Psychosis and depression are complex
illnesses and a single marker alone cannot
provide a reliable diagnosis.
The research was made possible
by funding from the James and Diana
Ramsay Foundation, a private foundation
established to foster excellence in the arts
and medical research, and to support
programs for youth at risk.
“We are grateful for their support
which has enabled the identification of
biomarkers and will also support the
second step which is using these findings
in clinical trials,” Bernhard said.
Kerry de Lorme, General Manager
of the Foundation, says they have
a history of supporting youth at
risk programs which led them
to direct their medical research funding
to youth mental health issues.
“We hope that through the support of
the James and Diana Ramsay Foundation,
Bernhard and his research team will
produce key findings in predicting the
course of mental illness, and as a result
be able to provide early treatment
options for the many young people
suffering mental illness,” said Kerry.
For more information about
supporting the University, visit
adelaide.edu.au/give
Right: Professor Bernhard
Baune, Head of Psychiatry
(Photo by Jo-Anna
Robinson)
|e University of Adelaide | Alumni Magazine 19
