EDINBURGH MENTAL HEALTH
PROJECTS
Explore the latest interdisciplinary projects being undertaken by our members, co-researchers, collaborators and partner organisations.
Using sleep and circadian rhythms data to understand trajectories and clinical outcomes in bipolar disorder
Summary:
This Wellcome-funded project works closely with the bipolar disorder community in Scotland to optimise the use of innovative ambient and passive data collection methods for sleep and circadian rhythms. The project seeks to inform future approaches early intervention, clinical practice and personalised medicine in bipolar disorder.
This project is being undertaken by colleagues based at the University of Edinburgh, Maynooth University and the Technical University of Munich, and consists of the following five workstreams:
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Assessing methods for collecting sleep, circadian and light exposure data
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Co-production of clinical and functional outcomes, and testing methods of data collection
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Development of a Data Management System to support data collection and optimise sharing opportunities
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Study of the relationships between sleep, circadian rhythms, light exposure and outcomes in people with bipolar disorder
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Co-production and delivery of knowledge exchange and dissemination programme: "Sleep and circadian rhythms in bipolar disorder"
Project Contacts:
Main contact: ambient-bd@ed.ac.uk
Work Stream 2: Dr Raahat Manrai
Work Stream 4: Debbie Gray, Emma Gale
Lithium's mechanism in bipolar disorder:
Investigating the light hypersensitivity hypothesis
Summary:
Lithium has been in use for 70 years and is the most effective treatment for bipolar disorder. It has many actions but the precise mechanism of action in bipolar disorder is uncertain. Recent evidence suggests that lithium may work by stabilizing aberrant circadian rhythms of mood, cognition and rest/activity, possibly via
an action at the level of the retina.
The HELIOS-BD team will test whether people with bipolar disorder are hypersensitive to evening light stimuli and whether Lithium may act to counter this. This project is being undertaken by colleagues at the University of Edinburgh, Northumbria University and the Technical University of Dresden. Funded by the Wellcome Trust, it consists of 6 workstreams:
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Retinal Organoids
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Melatonin Supression and Lithium
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Bipolar Disorder, Melatonin Supression and Lithium
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Retinal Sensitivity in People with Bipolar Disorder
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Retina Microstructure
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Lived Experience Co-Production
Project Contact:
Loneliness has been identified as an important public health issue, peaking during adolescence. Previous research has suggested that social interaction is a key factor in loneliness, and positive social interaction can act as a protective factor against loneliness. However, it is unclear whether there are different impacts of in-person and online social interaction on adolescents’ loneliness and mental health. To better understand these associations, Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) designs are ideally suited to meet this need.
In the 'Loneliness in the Digital World' project, we will use a co-developed EMA design to capture daily social interactions, measures of loneliness, and mental health such as positive and negative emotions, depression and anxiety in approximately 200 adolescents aged 12 - 15. We will combine with comprehensive information gathered from online surveys. Analysing the data using
techniques such as dynamic structural equation modelling, we will examine, among other research questions, the associations between online and in-person social interaction and feelings of loneliness. The results can help inform interventions to support adolescents with high levels of loneliness and poor mental health.
Acknowledgements:
The project is funded by the Medical Research Council and is a new study embedded within Generation Scotland. Professor Heather Whalley is the Primary Investigator leading the project. Dr. Aja Murray and Dr. Liana Romaniuk serve as co-investigators, providing advice on data analysis. Dr. Zhuo Xiao is the Research Fellow responsible for designing, collecting data, and writing up the results. Sarah Robertson is the Youth Engagement Lead, facilitating the recruitment of the young population and organising PPIE-related events. Liz Kirby holds the role of Research Support Officer, offering support in participant communication and engagement.
Project Contact:
Funded by the Wellcome Trust, PROMISE works with people with psychosis, their carers and the local community to develop psychosis detection & management systems and determine impact.
Summary:
Most people with mental health problems in Malawi tend to consult traditional or religious healers. Knowledge and understanding of psychosis is limited, and services have limited capacity. PROMISE is a longitudinal study that aims to build on existing services to develop sustainable psychosis detection systems and management pathways to promote recovery. PROMISE seeks to understand perspectives of ‘psychosis’ among People With Lived Experience (PWLE), caregivers and health-worker ‘stakeholders’ in Malawi and how these influence help-seeking.
Bringing together researchers from the social sciences, psychiatry, and health economics, people with and a range of partner organisations, PROMISE is an interdisciplinary project consisting of team members based in Malawi, Edinburgh, London and Newcastle, Australia with backgrounds in social science, health economics and psychiatry. Learn more about the team and the project's latest developments on the PROMISE website.
Project Contact:
Claire Parker (PROMISE Administrator)
Project Contact:
Lorna Caddick, genscot_sleep@ed.ac.uk
Ambient Teens is a co-produced feasibility study testing a novel contactless sleep sensor in young people aged 8-18. This will inform the use of non-invasive sleep data collection methods, at scale, in future longitudinal population studies, such as the MRC Adolescent Health Study.
This project Affiliated with Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and is funded by MRC, in collaboration with University of Glasgow, SHINE and Generation Scotland
Summary:
Suicide Cultures: Reimagining Suicide Research is a sociologically-informed, 5-year Wellcome Trust funded study looking at social and cultural understandings of suicide across Scotland. Suicide is a topic of intense public interest, perhaps especially for those who have experienced suicidal thoughts or actions or who have lost someone to suicide. Suicide prevention is also a priority for the Scottish government, and for health and social care practitioners. Our project seeks to work beyond medicalised, clinical, and quantitative approaches, to consider:
i) the way in which social context affects how suicide is understood and how it is practiced and;
ii) the role of ‘culture’ in shaping the meanings suicide has, and the impacts it might have on different communities.
We are using a range of qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews, ethnography, document analysis, and arts-based methods, to engage with diverse individuals, communities, and locations across Scotland. We are also building a network of scholars (including critical suicidologists), practitioners, and other people interested in suicide as a social and cultural issue. (To join our mailing list, you can email us at the address below.)
Affiliated University of Edinburgh Schools and Centres:
School of Health in Social Science. Funded by The Wellcome Trust.
Project Blog:
https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/suicide-cultures/
Project Contact:
Mental Health in the Moment
Summary:
‘Mental health in the moment’ (MHIM) is an accelerated cohort measurement burst ecological momentary assessment study designed to illuminate how (cumulative) daily life experiences impact long-term mental health development in adolescence whilst also providing insights into ‘daily life’ intervention targets. The study aims to recruit 500 adolescents in five age-cohorts (age 11-15) and follow them over a 5-year data collect-
ion period. Data collections will include 6-monthly online surveys and EMA bursts, annual parent surveys, and the collection of stress biomarker data at three key measurement points. The study is informed by young person advisory group consultations throughout its lifecycle.
Affiliated University of Edinburgh Schools and Centres:
School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Psychiatry
Collaborators:
Aja L. Murray, Luke Power, Tong Xie, Dejla Hoxha, Clara Sanchez- Izquierdo Lozano, Danny Smith
Project Contact:
Summary:
MHIM-ADHD is a research project exploring the daily life experiences of adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The project will explore many aspects of daily life but especially peer relations, managing emotions and their links to mental health. At the same time, we are developing a digital health intervention informed by the findings.
Affiliated University of Edinburgh Schools and Centres:
The School of Psychology (PPLS), School of Health in Social Science, Moray House School of Education and Sport, School of Social and Political Science, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences
Project Contact:
Summary:
IMAGINED stands for Investigating Meaning-making and the cocreation of Guidelines for Evaluation IN participatory Arts for Dementia. It is a 2-year project seeking to explore meaning-making and evaluation processes in participatory arts and dementia. We are exploring what may be the meaning-making processes of engagement with the arts in community and social care (non-clinical) settings for people living with dementia, their families and carers, and how processes connect to holistic health and wellbeing.
Drawing on this foundation, we are seeking to create a new evaluation framework for artists and arts organisation working with those living with dementia, incorporating an understanding of ‘meaning-making’ to support with articulating their work to stakeholders, thereby optimising future implementation and delivery of programmes.
Affiliated University of Edinburgh Schools and Centres:
School of Health in Social Science, Edinburgh Centre for Research on the Experience of Dementia
Collaborators:
The IMAGINED project is led by the Edinburgh Centre for Research on the Experience of Dementia (ECRED) in partnership with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, University of Florida, Queen Margaret University, St Columba’s Hospice Care, Music in Hospitals and Care and Scottish Ballet. It is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).
Project Contact:
Dr Katey Warran kwarran@ed.ac.uk
Summary:
CONNECT is a study that uses digital technology to determine whether a decline in a person’s mental health can be detected in advance through digital technology. The CONNECT study is funded by The Wellcome Trust and is taking place across six UK sites (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Cardiff, London and Sussex). We have partnered with the charity The McPin Foundation to involve people with lived experience of psychosis throughout the study.
People from all walks of life can experience psychosis. Psychosis can involve a range of experiences such as hearing voices, feeling suspicious around others, or having confused thinking. Sometimes, these experiences can become distressing and get in the way of living a fulfilling life.
People who experience psychosis can encounter changes in their activity levels, sleep pattern and getting out and about just before they become unwell or experience a relapse. For example, a person who is feeling very anxious or low might not feel like socialising much. They might stay at home more than usual, phone their friends less, sleep less and experience other changes. In CONNECT, we want to see how changes in behaviours and patterns might relate to someone’s mental health getting worse. In the future, it might be possible to tell in advance when someone’s mental health might be getting better or worse by looking at these changes and offering extra support at the time it is needed.
Affiliated University of Edinburgh Schools and Centres:
School of Health in Social Science, Clinical Psychology, Contextual Mental Health Research Group.
Research Partners and Collaborators:
NHS Lothian, The McPin Foundation. Funded by The Wellcome Trust and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
Project Contacts:
