Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) are a series of debilitating mental disorders that affects 1% of the population and significantly impairs quality of life. Individuals with this disorder often suffer from other conditions, such as diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure. These conditions can contribute to a decrease in lifespan of 15-20 years and are also associated with decreased cognition and disruption of self-management behaviours. Additionally, antipsychotics are a common treatment for SSDs, but their use can be associated with a worsening of these conditions. A lack of understanding regarding how SSDs develop has made identifying new treatments difficult. Previous research has shown that insulin resistance (IR) may be involved in this mechanism since endothelial cells (cells that line the blood vessels) can be damaged from IR. This damage can lead to a leaky blood brain barrier (BBB) which permits the entry of proteins that can contribute to inflammation within the brain. This potential mechanism is supported by past research showing that brain inflammation can lead to the development of disorders similar to SSDs. Reversing BBB leakage is also associated with symptom improvement and social functioning in these disorders. Thus, this study will explore whether (1) a leaky BBB and IR are present in individuals experiencing first episode psychosis (FEP) when compared to healthy individuals, (2) a leaky BBB can predict clinical, functional, and cognitive outcomes within the FEP population, and (3) persistent BBB leakage is associated with higher symptom severity and worse functional outcomes at six months. If we find support for these ideas, this could lead to the development of new treatments to help individuals suffering from SSDs.