LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf Hospital of the Heinrich-Heine University ...

LVR-KLINIKUM DÜsseLDORF – hOsPITaL OF The heINRIch-heINe UNIVeRsITY DÜsseLDORF
Astra Zeneca, Bayer Vital, Hexal, Novartis, Neuraxpharm
and Pfizer).
Local research facilities participating in
the Competence Network
The Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the
Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, as the primary
applicant of the Competence Network, is actively involved
in a total of 27 projects, 19 of which have mainly been
conceived by one of the Department´s various research
laboratories and research groups, which also appointed the
respective project director of these studies. In addition, the
Department´s research units are associated with eight other
projects as the cooperation partner of other institutions
(Table 3). A differentiated description of these projects as
well as the current type of participation can be found in the
respective report chapters by the research laboratories and
groups in this volume.
3.1.1.2 Competence Network on Depression
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and Suicidality (FMER)
Centre directors: W. Gaebel, F. Schneider (until 2004)
The main objective of the Competence Network on
Depression and Suicidality is to contribute to improving
the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of depression
and suicidality. This is achieved through the networking of
research, care, self-management, cost-carriers and patient
representatives within the context of an extensive range of
application-oriented research patterns, as well as informing
the public and persons with depression or suicidality. In
more detail, this guiding idea is put into practice by means of
the following sub-goals:
s Suicide prevention through the continuous training
of general practitioners and educating persons with
depression or suicidality and the public.
s Expanding existing knowledge regarding the biological
causes of the disorder and the social framework
conditions
s Improving the treatment of mild and sub-diagnostic
depressive disorders.
s Improving the treatment of relapsing brief depressive
disorders and preventing chronification.
s Improving the quality of diagnosis and treatment
through the use of guidelines.
s Evaluating quality-related measures through
comparative health economic analyses.
s Developing and testing guideline-oriented
compensation systems.
s Investigating the biological mechanisms of
antidepressants.
s Improving pharmacotherapy by redetermining
intervention points.
s Basic research for the development of new
medications.
s Investigating genetic predispositions for affective
disorders.
s Investigating the relationship between genetic factors
and medication-related treatment processes.
s Investigating the conditions of chronification and
treatment resistance; developing new intervention
strategies.
s Informing the public, persons with depression or
suicidality, and their relatives through targeted
knowledge transfer.
The structures and topics of the Competence Network
The Competence Network on Depression and Suicidality is
subdivided into six projects (PP), each of which is divided
into various sub-projects (SP). In accordance with the
Competence Network’s comprehensive target setting,
the research associated with PP 1–3 was thematically
concentrated on optimising and assuring adequate
healthcare procedures in office- and hospital-based
treatment settings, as well as educating the public and
persons with depression or suicidality, whereas the SP
4–6 projects were concerned with investigating the genetic
and brain-biological causes of depressive illnesses
and, accordingly, should lead to ideas for treatment and
prediction (cf. Table 4).
Partners involved in the Competence
Network across Germany
Across Germany, the Competence Network on Depression
and Suicidality includes 18 scientific institutions, several
psychiatric departments (university, state, regional and
specialist hospitals) as well as psychiatric and general
medicine practice networks, self-help groups (Horizonte,
DASH and MASH), the Drug Commission of the German
Medical Association and numerous State Associations of
Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. The Competence
Network’s work is supported by specialist associations
(such as the German Association of Psychiatry and
Psychotherapy, DGPPN), professional associations and the
health funds’ umbrella associations (Central Association of
Health Insurance Funds [“GKV-Spitzenverband”in German];
Federation of Alternative Health Insurance Funds [“Verband