Clinical Research Directory

LHC-CIDI-5 in Hong Kong

The World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview-5th (CIDI-5) is a standardized diagnostic tool used to assess the prevalence of mental and substance use disorders over varying time frames (30 days, 12 months, and lifetime) based on the diagnostic criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition (DSM-5) and International Classification of Diseases 10th edition (ICD-10). However, retrospective measurements like the CIDI-5 are susceptible to recall bias, especially for the lifetime experience, which can hinder the reporting accuracy with mental disorders. To mitigate this issue, the life history calendar (LHC) was introduced as an aid to assist respondents in recalling the timing of life events, enhancing the ability of the CIDI-5 to measure the lifetime prevalence of mental disorders. The LHC is a grid structure with columns representing time units and rows representing life domains under study. In a study conducted in Nepal, combining the CIDI-5 with the LHC resulted in a significant increase in the detection of mental disorders compared to using the CIDI-5 alone. This approach did not lead to an increase in false positives after clinical validation. This experiment aims to adapt a Hong Kong version of the LHC based on the Nepalese model and evaluate the effectiveness of the LHC-assisted CIDI-5 (LHC-CIDI-5) compared to the CIDI-5 alone in assessing mental disorders.

Ketosis Impact on Signs & Symptoms of Schizophrenia and Bipolar disorderS

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a ketone drink can improve signs and symptoms of patients with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder (SSD), or a bipolar-spectrum disorder (BD). The main questions it aims to answer are: Does a ketone drink improve information processing in patients with SSD/BD? Other questions it aims to answer are: Does a ketone drink improve cognitive functioning in patients with SSD/BD? Does a ketone drink improve metabolism and inflammation in patients with SSD/BD? Does a ketone drink affect circadian rhythm in patients with SSD/BD? Research will compare the effects of the ketone drink with that of an isocaloric carbohydrate drink in the same patients ('cross-over'). Participants will: 1. drink a ketone drink and (after a wash-out period) an isocaloric control drink (randomized order); after each drink: * EEG/EMG to determine information-processing parameters (PPI and P300) * cognitive tests * visual analog scale of mood, energy levels, ability to focus * indirect calorimetry to determine use of energy substrate * blood draws 2. for 5 consecutive days: * wear a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) * wear a non-invasive passive sweat biomarker sensor (EnLiSense device) * register a diet and nicotine diary * saliva sampling (max. 5x/day)