What is the Finnish SUPER study?
The study was commenced with a pilot study in three regions in the fall of 2015 and The national study was carried out within three years (2016-2018).
The Finnish SUPER study on genetic mechanisms of psychotic disorders is a part of the international Stanley Global Neuropsychiatric Genomics Initiative. The objective of the study is to better understand the genetic and biological background of psychotic disorders in order to provide more accurate information for the development of new therapeutic interventions.
Finland was the European pilot country of the Stanley Global Initiative. The aim was to collect a minimum of 10,000 genetic samples from Finnish psychosis patients.The aim was accieved and over 10,500 consents were collected.
Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), University of Helsinki, lead the study in collaboration with the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). FIMM coordinated the sample collection, and THL was responsible for sample logistics. Five university hospital districts were involved in the sample collection.
As part of the Stanley Global Neuropsychiatric Genomics Initiative, similar studies have been made in Latin America, Africa and Asia. The Initiative, including the Finnish SUPER study, is funded by the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.