The Sussex Psychosis Research Interest Group (SPRiG) incorporates clinical and academic researchers within the University of Sussex, Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
Current research includes the contribution of genetics, neuroimaging, psychological processes, health and social contexts to psychosis and well-being outcomes; the development of new psychological therapies, including third wave CBT and computer-based therapies; understanding and addressing children’s and adolescents’ attitudes to psychosis, to promote positive non-stigmatising schema; and earlier engagement in help seeking.
We host SPRiG seminars throughout the year online through Zoom. These seminars are always on the last Wednesday of the month at 4pm-5pm.
Next seminar
Wednesday 24 June 4pm-5pm
Speaker: Maria Ferrara MD PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Ferrara, Italy.
“Sex differences in psychosis: focus on women’s care needs”
This invited talk will address sex differences in psychosis with a focus on their clinical relevance for assessment, treatment, and service delivery in women. Drawing on longitudinal registry data, early intervention cohorts, and outpatient service evaluations, it will describe sex-specific patterns in age at onset, symptom profiles, diagnostic trajectories, and treatment response. Evidence from large-scale studies highlights differences in pharmacological management, including clozapine prescribing, as well as variations in outcomes following first-episode psychosis.
Particular attention will be given to clinical factors shaping women’s care needs, including later onset, comorbid affective symptoms, trauma exposure, and reproductive health considerations. Findings from gender-sensitive service research will be used to identify gaps in current models of care, including barriers to access, engagement, and continuity of treatment.
The session will translate this evidence into practical recommendations for clinicians, emphasizing the need for sex-informed assessment, individualized pharmacological strategies, and integration of reproductive and psychosocial care within early intervention and general psychiatric services. The goal is to support more precise, equitable, and effective care for women with psychosis.
