The MHCRC is intended to foster high-quality, interdisciplinary neuroscience research in schizophrenia; establish and facilitate training programs; and publish and disseminate research findings in such a way as to encourage replication and clinical application. The unifying theme of the CRC is the heterogeneity of schizophrenia. Research and clinical observation in schizophrenia consistently demonstrates enormous differences between patients in onset, phenomenology, course, treatment response, family history, social adjustment and numerous biologic variables. Whether schizophrenia is a single disease process with variable manifestations and/or variability in the predominance of etiologic factors or is a syndrome including several distinct illnesses, the identification of disease pathophysiology and meaningful subtypes is of critical importance in furthering our understanding of etiology as well as improving the efficacy or specificity of our treatment strategies. The research conducted by the CRC brings to bear a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives on this problem. However, clinical psychopharmacologic response will be utilized as an important """"""""cutting edge"""""""" in establishing putative subtypes for further study. Major emphasis is given to the integration of preclinical and clinical lines of investigation, and the combination of intensive cross-sectional biologic assessments with longitudinal follow-up of patients in the context of acute treatment response and long-term outcome. The CRC consists of four core units: Administrative; Clinical Assessment and Training; Study Management; and Biostatistics, and four specialty units: Clinical Psychopharmacology; Neuroimaging; Neurobiology; Neuropsychology and Neurophysiology. In addition, we are proposing a new unit on Neuropsychiatric Rehabilitation Research. The CRC is organized to take full advantage of an excellent clinical population (with proven potential for productive large scale research) which can be studied cross- sectionally and longitudinally with particular emphasis on first episode patients whom we can begin to study during the early phase of illness.
