An impirical investigation of psychosis proneness in amphetamine users: Current and predictive validity

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/326220

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

The use of amphetamines has increased in Australia in the last decade. According to the 1998 National Household Survey, lifetime use of amphetamines has increased by over 50% from approximately 6% in 1995 to approximately 9% in 1998; recent use (last 12 months) has increased from 2% in 1995 to approximately 4% in 1998. This increase appears to be even greater in Queensland, the site of the proposed study, which has seen both an overall increase in the use of illicit drugs and an increase in the use of amphetamines specifically. The most recent estimate of the number of current users (use within the last 12months) aged 14 years and over in Queensland is 85.5000. This compares to 17.000 recent heroin users in the same age range. Of particular concern is the increase in the use of methamphetamine, which has high abuse potential producing euphoric effects that are similar to, but longer lasting than, those of cocaine. Also of concern, given the increasing purity and availablity of methamphetamine, is the link between amphetamine use and psychosis, a psychotic disorder characterised by sensory hallucinations, paranoid delusions and a loosening of associations. Despite this well established link, there are surprisingly few studies in which the course and onset of amphetamine psychosis has been studied. In this reseach the relationship between subclinical features of psychosis, measures of psychosis proneness and other factors implicated in the development of schizophrenia will be investigated in a prospective cohort in which amphetamine users will be followed up once per month for twelve months.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2005

End Date: 01-01-2007

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $462,750.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Biological Psychology (Neuropsychology, Psychopharmacology, Physiological Psychology)

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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Other Keywords

Amphetamine | Amphetamine abuse | Early Psychosis | Mental health | Psychiatry | Psychosis | Schizophrenia | Substance Abuse | Substance abuse and dependence

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