Head: Dr. Richard Musil

The Working Group on Metabolism in Psychiatry is dedicated to studying techniques to predict side effects of certain medications. In particular, we are interested in predicting weight gain associated with certain antidepressants, antipsychotics and mood stabilizers. Steady weight gain can result in overweight, which in turn increases the risk of developing a metabolic syndrome, diabetes and, ultimately, cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, many patients discontinue their medications because of unpleasant side effects and, thus continue to have the symptoms of their mental illness, which can then also become chronic. The initial, preliminary results of our research show that eating behaviour before the start of drug treatment is a key predictor of weight gain within the first four weeks. Therefore, we conducted a pilot study to evaluate a psychoeducational ’Module on eating behaviour‘ that is tailored to patients with weight gain. Further, we are also interested in the association between psychotropic medication, inflammatory activities and the microbiome composition in relation to treatment response.

Our aims:

• Increase knowledge and raise awareness on metabolic disturbances in psychiatric patients
• Increase knowledge and raise awareness on weight gain during psychotropic treatment
• Increase knowledge on the association of inflammatory activation, metabolic disturbances and the microbiome composition in relation to treatment response
• Identify variables to predict weight gain and metabolic disturbances in patients treated with psychotropic medication
• Develop a prediciton tool for clinical routine care to identify patients at risk for weight gain/metabolic disturbances
• Develop specific weight gain prevention programs and programs accompanying the treatment