Advancing Diagnosis and Management of Psychiatric Symptoms in Mental Disorders and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Mental disorders (MDs), such as depression and schizophrenia, and neurodegenerative disorders (NDs), like Alzheimer’s disease, share a common thread: disrupted connections within the brain. This leads to overlapping emotional, behavioural, and cognitive symptoms. Unfortunately, current treatments like antidepressants and antipsychotics are often ineffective for ND patients and many individuals with MDs develop treatment resistance. This lack of effective treatment options creates a significant burden on patients, their families, and society as a whole. The Synapsing project aims to tackle this challenge by creating a comprehensive database of clinical, neuroimaging, and socioeconomic data from over 3000 patients across Europe. This will provide valuable insights into the shared mechanisms underlying these conditions and pave the way for improved diagnosis and treatment strategies.

To achieve its goals, SYNAPSING will pursue a multi-faceted approach. This includes developing blood-based biomarkers for faster and more accurate diagnosis, distinguishing between MDs and NDs, and predicting treatment response. By utilising post-mortem brain tissue and stem cell models, researchers will delve into the biological mechanisms of synapse dysfunction. Furthermore, the project will investigate the influence of socioeconomic factors on mental health, ultimately providing evidence-based policy recommendations to reduce disparities in access to care and improve overall mental well-being. The expected outcomes of SYNAPSING include a deeper understanding of these complex disorders, refined clinical guidelines for diagnosis and management, and strengthened knowledge and care networks across Europe.

Privanova will play a critical role in ensuring the ethical integrity of the SYNAPSING project. They will be responsible for interpreting and implementing any ethical requirements from the European Commission, translating them into clear guidelines for all partners to follow. This includes delivering a report with recommendations to introduce policies to reduce social disparities related to mental health issues, establishing an Ethics Advisory Board with both internal and external experts to provide oversight and guidance on ethical and social issues related to the project, with Privanova leading the consortium’s contribution to the board. Throughout the project’s lifespan, Privanova will champion responsible research and innovation, ensuring compliance with the applicable ethical standards and data protection regulations. Privanova will also contribute to developing synergies with the research and clinical community from the MD and ND fields by organising the SynergyHealth cluster workshop.