NAMI Hosts Doctor Pioneering Yale Schizophrenia Study

FAIRFIELD — On Wednesday, October 6, NAMI Fairfield’s First Wednesday of the Month Speaker Meeting will feature Dr Naomi Driesen, associate research scientist in psychiatry and in neurology, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine.

Dr Driesen and her associates at Yale University are currently conducting a clinical study to try to understand how the genetic structure of families with schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia affects development in the teenage years.

 For their current study they are looking for girls (age 8–18) and boys (age 9–19) whose parent has schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Children who have a sibling with either of these diseases are also accepted. The study involves an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging); neurocognitive, intellectual and psychiatric screening; a brief physical exam; and a cheek swab for collecting genetic material.

 Using MRI while the child does a computer task, they can see parts of the brain he/she is using to do the task.

They can also look at the connections between areas of the brain used in the task. They are studying children during adolescence because this is a period of rapid change and development. Understanding these changes may help them to create interventions for teenagers related to individuals with schizophrenia and for other children.

This meeting is important to anyone who has a history of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder in their family. It will provide information on current research and an opportunity to determine eligibility in the study.

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Its goals are to support those living with mental illness and their loved ones, to provide educational programs to the community that foster understanding and healthy living, and to provide advocacy.

The meeting will be in the Eliot Room Library, First Church Congregational, 148 Beach Road, from 7:30 to 9 pm. It is open to the public and free of charge. Light refreshments will be served.

For more information call Judy at 203-650-3463.