REPOSE: Register for Experiencers of Psychosis, Berlin - A systematic multilevel comparison of the physiological and psychopathological features of exogenous and endogenous psychoses

Study Description:
It is estimated that about 1.6 million people living in Germany suffer from an acute change in their experience, thinking and behavior at least once in their lives. This can lead to disturbances of consciousness and formal and content-related thinking disorders, as well as hallucinations and an overall restlessness or disruption of one’s circadian rhythm. The sudden appearance of these symptoms usually leads to the diagnosis of a psychotic disorder.

To date, there are no reliable ways of distinguishing the causes of such psychotic disorders based solely on symptoms of illness (i.e., changes in experience, thinking, and behavior). Likewise, it is not possible to distinguish them via chemical or technical analyses in the laboratory.

The aim of the REPOSE study is to systematically compare clinical features (especially changes in experience, thinking and behavior) with the results of chemical and/or instrument-based investigations in the lab. The goal of REPOSE is to develop a better understanding of the causes of psychotic syndromes, along with an improved diagnosis of endogenous and exogenous psychoses. Additionally, this study looks closely at the so-called epidemiological dimension of psychosis, thus obtaining a more precise overview of the frequency, severity, and possible treatment of psychotic disorders in society, as well as a better understanding of how such disorders develop.

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Andreas Heinz, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (CCM)

Co-director:  Prof. Dr. med. Matthias Endres, Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology (CCM)

Registered: The study is registered in DRKS00023222 (NCT04301271)