Predicting outcomes for people at high risk for psychosis
Official title: Trajectories and Predictors in the Clinical High Risk for Psychosis Population: Prediction Scientific Global Consortium (PRESCIENT)
Funded at University of Melbourne · NIH-11373938 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will develop tools that use symptoms, thinking tests, brain scans, biological markers, and genetics to help predict future mental health outcomes for young people at high risk for psychosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Melbourne NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Melbourne, Australia) |
| Project start | September 8, 2020 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $20,763 |
| NIH project number | 3U01MH124631-05S5 |
| Project ID | NIH-11373938 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Young people identified as Clinical High Risk (CHR) for psychosis—those with recent subthreshold psychotic symptoms, functional decline, or other CHR indicators—are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without CHR signs, those with an established psychotic disorder, or those unable to attend participating clinics or provide required tests may not benefit directly from this effort.
What this research studies
If you are worried you might be at high risk for psychosis, researchers will combine information from your symptoms, thinking tests, brain imaging, blood markers, and genes collected at clinics around the world. They will follow people over time to see who develops psychosis, who has ongoing non-psychotic disorders, who recovers, and who has lasting problems with daily functioning. Using these many kinds of data, the team will build prediction models and test them across different clinics to make sure they work for many people. The final goal is to turn the best models into simple, validated tools that clinicians can use to guide early care and personalized treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help clinicians identify who needs early, targeted care to prevent or reduce psychosis and improve daily functioning.
How similar studies have gone: Previous single-site studies have shown only modest success predicting psychosis, so this larger international consortium aims to improve accuracy by pooling diverse data.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nelson, Christopher Barnaby — University of Melbourne
- Study coordinator: Nelson, Christopher Barnaby
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Psychosis in diverse settings across the world
This project studies how psychotic disorders show up and respond to treatment in adults with diverse backgrounds, including populations in Africa, the Caribbean, and other Global South settings.
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Psychosis in Diverse Settings: Understanding Symptoms and Treatment Across Global South
A human-facing study will look at how psychotic disorders present and respond to treatment in adults from Africa, the Caribbean, and other Global South settings, using genetic and clinical data.
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A new online brain-scan-style tool to spot early psychosis risk
A new online-based set of tasks and a computer model aims to identify people at high risk for developing psychosis earlier and more accurately.
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Genetic clues for early-onset psychosis in Latino youth
This project looks at the genes of young people with early-onset psychosis and compares them with similar youths without psychosis to find genetic factors that contribute to the illness.
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Biomarkers to tailor rehab for Veterans with schizophrenia
A clinician-scientist is developing a brain-based biomarker to guide personalized rehabilitation for Veterans with schizophrenia.
-
Computational analysis of facial expression in early psychosis
Aims to develop computer-based measures of facial expression in people at risk for or with schizophrenia to help track symptoms and guide future trials.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.