The Long-Term Follow-Up TIPP Project: LOFT Study Protocol, a 20-Year Prospective Study of Early Psychosis Patients

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Neuroscience
• Longitudinal Cohort Studies
• Psychosis Research

Background:

• Early intervention services (EIS) are standard for first episode psychosis (FEP).
• Limited understanding exists regarding the long-term evolution and effects of EIS.
• This study addresses the need for insights into long-term outcomes of FEP treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term physical and mental health evolution in FEP patients post-EIS.
• To explore neurobiological outcomes associated with long-term psychosis treatment.
• To identify factors influencing long-term outcomes for personalized interventions.

Main Methods:

• The Long-term Follow-up of TIPP (LOFT) study tracks patients for up to 20 years post-EIS.
• Prospective multimodal assessments include psychopathology, function, physical health, and biomarkers.
• Analyses combine traditional group-level methods with machine learning on deep phenotyping data.

Main Results:

• Recruitment for the LOFT study began in 2024, with 111 participants enrolled.
• The study is designed to assess 720 patients at 5, 10, 15, and 20-year follow-up intervals.
• A subsample (n=168) will undergo advanced neuroimaging and biomarker assessments.

Conclusions:

• Ethical approval obtained; recruitment is ongoing.
• Findings will inform the refinement of interventions for at-risk psychosis patient subgroups.
• The study aims to elucidate neurobiological mechanisms driving psychosis progression.