Neuro-dysfunction in Psychosis – Relevance to Better Patient Outcomes and Implications for Personalised Treatments

This 1-hour session is being delivered via MS Teams by Dr Sofia Pappa and includes a Q&A session at the end. Dr Sofia Pappa MD, Ph.D Faculty of Medicine, Department of Brain Sciences Dr Sofia Pappa is a Senior Lecturer at the Division of Psychiatry, Imperial College London and a Specialty Lead in Mental Health for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR, UK). She also works as a Consultant Psychiatrist and Mood & Psychosis Research Lead at West London NHS Trust. She has dual training in Neurology and Psychiatry and was awarded a European scholarship for the completion of her PhD. She subsequently obtained a fellowship for postdoctoral research at the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, evaluating the neuromotor dysfunction in early psychosis. Her main clinical and research interests include neuropsychopharmacology and novel treatments in the management of affective and psychotic disorders. She has also a keen interest in the interface between physical and mental health, neuropsychiatry (particularly in movement and sleep disorders) and patient involvement. Dr Pappa has received a number of awards and grants and has acted as Principal Investigator for several clinical trials. She has published in high impact journals and regularly reviews manuscripts for top ranked journals and NIHR applications. She has significant experience in teaching including in her role as Imperial Medical School Tutor and Associate Clinical Professor in Psychiatry, RUSM Medical School (Florida, US) and in clinical management, having served as Clinical Lead for Adult Mental Health Services in the past. Topics covered in the talk: • The assessment of motor function in patients with schizophrenia and implications for treatment • Treatment options based on receptor profiling of antipsychotic medications • The management of akathisia • Explore strategies for shared decision making