Our work is strongly interdisciplinary across multiple foci. We hold strong coalitions with partners in the field of linguistics, molecular imaging, microbiology, pharmacology, AI and gynaecology, which enable us to apply top-notch techniques and use know-how to advance the field of neuropsychiatry. The group has a proven track record in securing multimillion-euro grants, leading national and international consortia, communicate with the general public and publishing in high-impact journals.
Group mean of [11C]UCB-J Non-displaceable Binding Potential (BPND) PET-images in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (SSD), their healthy siblings (SIB), and healthy controls (HC). The figure displays the average BPND PET-images of SSD (N - 24) (lower panel), SIB (N - 25) (middle panel), and HC (N = 26) (upper panel).
We strive to understand the mechanisms behind brain disorders like psychosis, and use this knowledge to accurately predict mental health crisis, which opens a window of opportunity to prevent such crisis. We also design and test innovative treatments which are better tailored to individual needs. Our main strengths are:
Speech and language are a rich source of information about the mental and cognitive state of the speaker. We investigate if and how automated speech analyses can help improve diagnose, treatment monitoring and relapse prediction in patients with psychiatric and neurological disorders. At the national level, we collaborate with Parnassia Rotterdam and at the international level, this work is supported by two EU grants together with experts from Zürich, Barcelona and TromsØ.
The gut and its microbiome play essential roles in brain health, especially in the first 1000 days, but also in adult age. Our group has created the Brain Anti-inflammatory Nutrition, which we have validated for efficacy and feasibility in patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders. We have studied the effects of probiotic mixtures on brain and mental health and relate metabolic syndrome to cognitive and clinical outcomes.
Historically, medicine has better studied the male than the female body and many treatments are not well adapted to serve female needs through different life-stages. Our work includes the adaptation of current pharmacotherapy to make treatments safer and more effective for women. We investigate effects of menopause on mental health and perform treatment trials with hormonal and non-hormonal interventions to improve mental health and cognition for female patients.
We have performed the HAMLETT trial, comparing early tapering of antipsychotic medication to maintenance treatment in a large group of first episode patients. Participants of this trial are followed for ten years, and we investigate how outcome after a first psychosis can be optimized. This study is performed together with 26 Dutch psychosis centers, united in the HAMLETT consortium. At the international level we have founded the TAPER consortium with a growing number of other groups that study tapering of antipsychotic medication.
Bote Smid
E-mail: [email protected]
Center for Clinical Neuroscience and Cognition
University Medical Center Groningen
Triade building, entrance 24, room KZ1.06
Groningen
The Netherlands
