Frontiers in Psychiatry (Apr 2022)

The Danish High-Risk and Resilience Study—VIA 15 – A Study Protocol for the Third Clinical Assessment of a Cohort of 522 Children Born to Parents Diagnosed With Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder and Population-Based Controls

  • Anne Amalie Elgaard Thorup,
  • Anne Amalie Elgaard Thorup,
  • Anne Amalie Elgaard Thorup,
  • Nicoline Hemager,
  • Nicoline Hemager,
  • Vibeke Fuglsang Bliksted,
  • Vibeke Fuglsang Bliksted,
  • Vibeke Fuglsang Bliksted,
  • Aja Neergaard Greve,
  • Aja Neergaard Greve,
  • Aja Neergaard Greve,
  • Jessica Ohland,
  • Jessica Ohland,
  • Martin Wilms,
  • Martin Wilms,
  • Sinnika Birkehøj Rohd,
  • Sinnika Birkehøj Rohd,
  • Merete Birk,
  • Merete Birk,
  • Anette Faurskov Bundgaard,
  • Anette Faurskov Bundgaard,
  • Andreas Færgemand Laursen,
  • Andreas Færgemand Laursen,
  • Oskar Hougaard Jefsen,
  • Oskar Hougaard Jefsen,
  • Nanna Lawaetz Steffensen,
  • Nanna Lawaetz Steffensen,
  • Anna Krogh Andreassen,
  • Anna Krogh Andreassen,
  • Anna Krogh Andreassen,
  • Lotte Veddum,
  • Lotte Veddum,
  • Lotte Veddum,
  • Christina Bruun Knudsen,
  • Christina Bruun Knudsen,
  • Christina Bruun Knudsen,
  • Mette Enevoldsen,
  • Mette Enevoldsen,
  • Marie Nymand,
  • Marie Nymand,
  • Julie Marie Brandt,
  • Julie Marie Brandt,
  • Julie Marie Brandt,
  • Anne Søndergaard,
  • Anne Søndergaard,
  • Anne Søndergaard,
  • Line Carmichael,
  • Line Carmichael,
  • Maja Gregersen,
  • Maja Gregersen,
  • Maja Gregersen,
  • Mette Falkenberg Krantz,
  • Mette Falkenberg Krantz,
  • Birgitte Klee Burton,
  • Birgitte Klee Burton,
  • Birgitte Klee Burton,
  • Birgitte Klee Burton,
  • Martin Dietz,
  • Ron Nudel,
  • Ron Nudel,
  • Line Korsgaard Johnsen,
  • Line Korsgaard Johnsen,
  • Line Korsgaard Johnsen,
  • Kit Melissa Larsen,
  • Kit Melissa Larsen,
  • David Meder,
  • Oliver James Hulme,
  • William Frans Christiaan Baaré,
  • Kathrine Skak Madsen,
  • Kathrine Skak Madsen,
  • Torben Ellegaard Lund,
  • Leif Østergaard,
  • Anders Juul,
  • Anders Juul,
  • Troels Wesenberg Kjær,
  • Carsten Hjorthøj,
  • Carsten Hjorthøj,
  • Carsten Hjorthøj,
  • Hartwig Roman Siebner,
  • Hartwig Roman Siebner,
  • Hartwig Roman Siebner,
  • Ole Mors,
  • Ole Mors,
  • Ole Mors,
  • Merete Nordentoft,
  • Merete Nordentoft,
  • Merete Nordentoft

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.809807
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

Read online

BackgroundChildren born to parents with severe mental illness have gained more attention during the last decades because of increasing evidence documenting that these children constitute a population with an increased risk of developing mental illness and other negative life outcomes. Because of high-quality research with cohorts of offspring with familial risk and increased knowledge about gene–environment interactions, early interventions and preventive strategies are now being developed all over the world. Adolescence is a period characterized by massive changes, both in terms of physical, neurologic, psychological, social, and behavioral aspects. It is also the period of life with the highest risk of experiencing onset of a mental disorder. Therefore, investigating the impact of various risk and resilience factors in adolescence is important.MethodsThe Danish High-Risk and Resilience Study started data collection in 2012, where 522 7-year-old children were enrolled in the first wave of the study, the VIA 7 study. The cohort was identified through Danish registers based on diagnoses of the parents. A total of 202 children had a parent diagnosed with schizophrenia, 120 children had a parent diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and 200 children had parents without these diagnoses. At age 11 years, all children were assessed for the second time in the VIA 11 study, with a follow-up retention rate of 89%. A comprehensive assessment battery covering domains of psychopathology, neurocognition, social cognition and behavior, motor development and physical health, genetic analyses, attachment, stress, parental functioning, and home environment was carried out at each wave. Magnetic resonance imaging scans of the brain and electroencephalograms were included from age 11 years. This study protocol describes the third wave of assessment, the VIA 15 study, participants being 15 years of age and the full, 3-day-long assessment battery this time including also risk behavior, magnetoencephalography, sleep, and a white noise paradigm. Data collection started on May 1, 2021.DiscussionWe will discuss the importance of longitudinal studies and cross-sectional data collection and how studies like this may inform us about unmet needs and windows of opportunity for future preventive interventions, early illness identification, and treatment in the future.

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