Our research and development

We carry out research and educational activities in various areas of mental health and related disciplines that include psychology and neuropsychology, cerebrovascular diseases, neuroepidemiology, computational neuroscience and digital health.

We aim to advance knowledge in mental health and to develop effective, evidence-based interventions to support people affected by a wide range of health conditions.

Our research areas:

  • Identification of psychological, clinical, social, and other markers in promotion of better mental health.
  • Prediction, early detection, prevention, and improvement of mental health outcomes.
  • Population-wide research and systematic reviews.
  • Dissemination findings of mental health research at a national and international level.
  • Promotion personalised mental health approaches.
  • Development and evaluation of digital tools in mental health and education.

 

Current projects

PsyMulator

PsyMulator-1.png
AI-based tool for training mental health specialists and consultants of hotlines.
Here you can access PsyMulator

 
Digital system for prediction and early detection of behavioural conditions in dementia

AI-based system for prediction and early detection of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia that enables timely intervention, slows down progression of dementia, improves quality of life and reduces work load for caregivers and family members.

 
Prinzhorn collection

Research on possible painting markers of diagnoses of mental disorders and using world-known collection of paints of people with mental disorders.

 

Publications

MHTN Institute's members are actively contributing by releasing research outputs. Here you can find details of the Institute's scientific outputs. They are ordered from newest to oldest within their respective categories and sorted alphabetically by the last name of the first author.

Journal papers (selected)

  • Doborjeh Z, Sumich A, Medvedev ON, Buchwald K, Doborjeh M, Singh B, Budhraja S, Merkin A, Lam M, Yee JY, Lee TS. Genetic Signatures Predict Social-Cognitive Trajectories in Ultra-High-Risk Psychosis: A 24-Month Longitudinal Study. Asian Journal of Psychiatry 2025:104749.

  • Truong QC, Choo C, Numbers K, Merkin AG, Sachdev PS, Feigin VL, Brodaty H, Kochan NA, Medvedev ON. Enhancing precision of the 16-item Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE-16) using Rasch methodology. Int Psychogeriatr 2024; 36(3):166-176.

  • Steinmetz JD, Seeher KM, Schiess N, . . . Merkin A, . . . Dua T. Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990–2021: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The Lancet Neurology 2024; 23(4):344-381.

  • Merkin A, Akinfieva S, Krishnamurthi R, Medvedev O, Gutsaluk A, Kuliev R, Dinov E, Nikiforov I, Shamalov N, Reips U.-D., Shafran P, Popova L, Burenchev D, Feigin V. Application of the Stroke Riskometer mobile app for prediction of the course and clinical outcomes of Covid-19 disease. International Journal of Stroke 2023; 18(3S):453-454.

  • Nair B, Krishnamurthi RV, Medvedev O, Merkin A, Kravchenko M, Jalili Moghaddam S, Barker-Collo S, Ratnasabapathy Y, Bhatia A, Dyer J, Skinner L, Owolabi M, Norrving B, Sachdev P, Arroll B, Brainin M, Thrift AG, Feigin VL. Practical solutions to assist clinicians to prevent stroke and cardiovascular disease at the individual level: The international study in 27 countries. International Journal of Stroke 2023; 18(3S):130.

  • Doborjeh Z, Doborjeh M, Sumich A, Singh B, Merkin A, Budhraja S, Goh W, Lai EM, Williams M, Tan S, Lee J, Kasabov N. Investigation of social and cognitive predictors in non-transition ultra-high-risk' individuals for psychosis using spiking neural networks. Schizophrenia 2023; 9(1):10.

  • Merkin A, Akinfieva S, Medvedev ON, Krishnamurthi RV, Gutsaluk A, Reips UD, Kuliev R, Dinov E, Nikiforov I, Shamalov N, Shafran P, Popova L, Burenchev D, Feigin VL. A pilot study of application of the Stroke Riskometer mobile app for assessment of the course and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 among hospitalised patients. Cerebrovascular Diseases Extra 2023; (1):47–55.

  • Owolabi MO, Thrift AG, Mahal A,…Merkin AG,…Feigin VL, on behalf of the Stroke Experts Collaboration Group. Primary stroke prevention worldwide: translating evidence into action. Lancet Public Health 2021; S2468-2667(21)00230-9.

 
Books and book chapters

  • A. Merkin. Confusional state (delirium) in geriatrics. Clinical signs, comorbidity, care service organization. Saarbrücken: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, 2013, 181 p.

 
Conference outputs

  • A. Merkin, V. Feigin, R. Krishnamurthi, U-D Reips, G. Cheung, M. Edmonds, S. Madanian, M. Dudley, E-S Tautolo, J. Templeton, C. Tetzlaff, H. Budincevic, O. Medvedev. Prediction and early detection of agitation and aggression in dementia using novel computational technologies: A study protocol. Congress of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology, Berlin, Germany, 2024.

  • Nair B, Krishnamurthi R, Bhatia A, Medvedev O, Merkin A, Dyer J, Kravchenko M, Jalili Moghaddam S, Barker-Collo S, Ratnasabapathy Y, Skinner L, Wan J, Owolabi M, Norrving B, Sachdev P, Arroll B, Brainin M, Thrift A, Hankey G, Feigin V. Evaluating health care professionals’ and patients’ perceptions of digital solutions for stroke prevention. The Joint Annual Meeting of the Stroke Society of Australasia and Smartstrokes. Melburn, Australia, 2023.

  • A. Merkin, M. Doborjeh, H. Bahrami, et al. Individualised prognostic modelling of mild cognitive impairment and dementia based on MRI. Congress of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology, Berlin, Germany, 2019.

  • A. Merkin. Mobile technologies for stroke/CVD prevention in improving health outcomes and people’s wellbeing. University of Konstanz, Germany, 2019.

  • A. Merkin, V. Kazin, I. Nikiforov, et al. Individualised assessment of efficacy and prediction of outcomes of treatment with Cerebrolysin by machine learning: a new design of the controlled before-and-after study. Congress of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology, Berlin, Germany, 2018.

  • A. Merkin, R. Krishnamurthi, R. Bhattacharjee, V. Feigin. Management of risk factors of dementia using the Stroke Riskometer mobile application. World Psychiatric Association's Thematic Congress 2018, Melbourne, Australia, 2018.

  • A. Merkin, R. Krishnamurthi, R. Bhattacharjee, M. Kravchenko, M. Piradov,Y. Varakin, V. Feigin. The Stroke Riskometer App: Prevention of dementia through the prevention of stroke. World Psychiatry Association, XVII World Congress of Psychiatry, Berlin, Germany, 2017.

  • A. Merkin, R. Shepherd, A. Fonarev, H. Donald, V. Kazin, T. Gogoleva, I. Nikiforov. Bicultural identity among Russian-speaking migrants from the former Soviet Union in New Zealand. Congress of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology, Berlin, Germany, 2016.

  • A.G. Merkin. Prevention measures in psychogeriatrics. Conference "Mental Health: Social, Clinical, Organisational and Scientific issues", Moscow, Russia, 2016.

  • A.G. Merkin. Non-pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia (EEG neurofeedback and Brain-Computer Interfaces). Conference "Outpatient Treatment of Patients with Schizophrenia", Moscow, Russia, 2015.

  • S. Kosyaeva, A. Merkin, E. Novikova, E. Alyokhina, D. Simolina, E. Dinov, A. Komarov, L. Kezina. Prevalence of some psychopathological and behavioural symptoms in disabled patients in outpatient service for social care. XVI World Congress of Psychiatry, Madrid, Spain, 2014.

  • Merkin A., Beloskurskaya O., Dinov E. Nikiforov I. Comparative analysis of burnout in different groups of medical professionals. Congress of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology, Berlin, Germany, 2013.

  • Merkin A. International Case Discussion of Japan's Modern Depression. Sociocultural Background and Diagnosis. Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology Annual Meeting, Fukuoka, Japan, 2013.

  • Merkin A. Difficulties in diagnosing delirium in elderly patients of general hospital. Congress of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology, Berlin, Germany, 2012.

  • Merkin A. Some peculiarities of the Eastern and Western diagnostic approaches to delirium. Congress of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology, Berlin, Germany, 2012.

  • Merkin A. Comparative analysis of recognition of delirium by general medical staff and psychiatrist in general hospital. World Psychiatric Association Regional Meeting, Bali, Indonesia, 2012.

  • Merkin A.G., Borisov I.V., Shushkevitch A., Savelyev D.V. Features of diagnosing delirium by physicians in geriatrics. Proceedings of the Anniversary International Conference "Current Issues of Diagnosis, Treatment and and Rehabilitation of Mental and Behavioral Disorders", Grodno, Republic of Belarus, pp. 201-203, 2012.