Clinical Psychiatry Research

Our primary concern is the improvement and renewal of psychiatric clinical practice in order to advance the discipline, the well-being of patients and the image of psychiatry among the next generation medical doctors as a modern medical discipline. In a translational interdisciplinar approach we modified clinical procedures and published resulting outcomes. In this context, we have been working on least restrictive treatment strategies in the UPK in Basel, where we reduced coercive measures up to tenfold, placed more emphasis on psychotherapy, professionalized assessments, increased patient satisfaction, decreased appeals against treatment and created an attitude that focuses less on security, restriction and control and more on relationship, support and trust. In this context, our department won the FMH Swiss Prix de Qualite in 2021 for the performed “open door strategy”. Moreover, based on neurobiological findings different treatment approaches were implemented in randomized controlled trials, where the knowledge about metabolic, immunological, psychological and cardiovascular aspects especially of depression have been expanded and explored in clinical samples. Indeed basic neuroscience concepts have been implemented in clinical care in randomized clinical trials and their outcomes have been published. Our activities result in a less stigmatized image of psychiatry and a high acceptance and utilization of psychiatric care in Basel. Several studies showed to improve treatment quality in psychiatric care (i.e. budo, exercise, nutrition, exergaming, psychedelic medications, animal assisted treatment, mindfulness etc.). Moreover, the therapeutic potential of the brain gut axis, i.e. treatment with probiotic medications, serine and diet interventions has been evaluated.