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Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality, which can be distressing for them and for their family and friends. The symptoms of schizophrenia can make it difficult to participate in usual, everyday activities, but effective treatments are available. Learn more about schizophrenia.

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Featured Studies

Featured studies include only those currently recruiting participants. Studies with the most recent start date appear first.


EPI-MINN: Targeting Cognition and Motivation - National

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: May 31, 2023
Eligibility: 15 Years to 40 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

The purpose of this study is to perform a practice-based research project designed to assess whether cognition and motivated behavior in early psychosis can be addressed as key treatment goals within real-world settings by using a 12-week mobile intervention program. Participants who are receiving care at coordinated specialty care (CSC) early psychosis clinics across the United States will be recruited to participate in this study. A qualifying CSC program will provide comprehensive clinical services such as psychotherapy, medication management, psychoeducation, and work or education support. This study will be conducted remotely, and participants can participate at home with their own electronic devices.

The aim of this study is to investigate a well-defined 12-week mobile intervention program specifically designed to target cognitive functioning and motivated behavior for individuals with early psychosis. Participants will complete a screening interview which will include diagnosis and symptom ratings, neurocognitive assessment, and self-reports of symptoms, behavior, and functioning. Then participants will be randomized to receive the 12-week mobile intervention, or an active control of treatment as usual. The investigators will test for differences in the clinical trajectories after training, and at two follow up appointments at 6 and 12 months post-training.


D-serine AudRem: R33 Phase

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: December 1, 2022
Eligibility: 18 Years to 50 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): NYSPI, New York, New York, United States

Schizophrenia is a major public health problem associated with cognitive deficits, such as short and long term memory, executive functioning, attention and speed of processing that are amongst the strongest predictors of impaired functional outcome. In addition, schizophrenia patients show reduced "plasticity", defined as reduced learning.

D-serine is a naturally occurring activator of the N-methyl-d-aspartate-type glutamate receptors (NMDAR) in the brain, and this project will assess the D-serine treatment over 16 weeks of a program designed to measure auditory plasticity.


What the Nose Knows: Hedonic Capacity, Psychosocial Interventions and Outcomes in Schizophrenia

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: September 2, 2022
Eligibility: 18 Years to 65 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

This project proposes to conduct the first study of the predictive utility of olfactory hedonic measurement for targeted psychosocial rehabilitation in schizophrenia. The information gathered from the project is of considerable public health relevance, in that, through simple, reliable olfactory assessment, it will provide knowledge about which individuals are most likely to benefit from these psychosocial interventions. Such information is crucial for tailoring existing interventions and developing new approaches to optimize outcomes in schizophrenia.


State Representation in Early Psychosis - Project 4

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: July 31, 2022
Eligibility: 15 Years to 45 Years, Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

The purpose of this study is to examine state representation in individuals aged 15-40 who have been diagnosed with a psychotic illness, as well as young adults who do not have a psychiatric diagnosis. State Representation is our ability to process information about our surroundings. The investigators will complete a clinical trial examining two paradigms of cognitive training.


Remote State Representation in Early Psychosis

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: July 27, 2022
Eligibility: 18 Years to 45 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

The purpose of this study is to examine state representation in individuals aged 15-40 who have been diagnosed with a psychotic illness, as well as young adults who do not have a psychiatric diagnosis. State Representation is our ability to process information about our surroundings. The investigators will complete some observational tests as well as a cognitive training clinical trial.


Clozapine for the Prevention of Violence in Schizophrenia: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: March 17, 2022
Eligibility: 18 Years to 65 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, United States

Two-hundred and eighty individuals with schizophrenia who have a recent history of violent acts will be randomized in this 2-arm, parallel-group, 24-week, open-label, 7-site clinical trial to examine the effects of treatment with clozapine vs antipsychotic treatment as usual (TAU) for reducing the risk of violent acts in real-world settings


Academic-Community EPINET (AC-EPINET)

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: March 16, 2022
Eligibility: 16 Years to 35 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): The Early Psychosis Intervention Center (EPICENTER) at Ohio State, Columbus, Ohio, United States; Prevention and Recovery Center for Early Psychosis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States; Vanderbilt's Early Psychosis Program - Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States; Strong Ties Young Adults Program- University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States; Program for Risk Evaluation and Prevention (PREP) - University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States; Early Psychosis Intervention Clinic-New Orleans (EPIC-NOLA) - Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

The investigators propose to examine the effects of CSC services delivered via TH (CSC-TH) versus the standard clinic-based CSC model (CSC-SD) on engagement and outcomes in a 12-month, randomized trial.


Antipsychotic Response to Clozapine in B-SNIP Biotype-1 (Clozapine)

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: March 1, 2022
Eligibility: 18 Years to 60 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States

The CLOZAPINE study is designed as a multisite study across 5 sites and is a clinical trial, involving human participants who are prospectively assigned to an intervention. The study will utilize a stringent randomized, double-blinded, parallel group clinical trial design. B2 group will serve as psychosis control with risperidone as medication control. The study is designed to evaluate effect of clozapine on the B1 participants, and the effect that will be evaluated is a biomedical outcome. The study sample will be comprised of individuals with psychosis, including 1) schizophrenia, 2) schizoaffective disorder and 3) psychotic bipolar I disorder. The investigators plan to initially screen and recruit n=524 (from both the existing B-SNIP library and newly-identified psychosis cases, ~50% each) in order to enroll n=320 (B1 and B2) into the RCT.


State Representation in Early Psychosis

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: December 1, 2021
Eligibility: 15 Years to 40 Years, Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

The purpose of this study is to examine state representation in individuals aged 15-40 who have been diagnosed with a psychotic illness, as well as young adults who do not have a psychiatric diagnosis. State Representation is our ability to process information about our surroundings. The investigators will complete some observational tests as well as a cognitive training clinical trial.


Enhancing Prefrontal Oscillations and Working Memory in Early-course Schizophrenia

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: November 5, 2021
Eligibility: 18 Years to 40 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

This study will investigate the effects of intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS) on natural oscillatory frequency of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and working memory in early-course schizophrenia (EC-SCZ). Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) will be used to evoke oscillatory activity, and EEG will record the responses of EC-SCZ participants. A working memory task will also be incorporated in order to determine how DLPFC natural frequency (NF) is related to working memory performance. iTBS (active or sham) will be administered, then the oscillatory activity of DLPFC and working memory performance will be reassessed. The overarching goal is to determine whether iTBS can acutely enhance the oscillatory activity of the DLPFC and to evaluate the relationship between changes in the DLPFC and working memory performance.


Targeting Processing Speed Deficits to Improve Social Functioning and Lower Psychosis Risk

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: October 28, 2021
Eligibility: 14 Years to 20 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): Northwell Health- The Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, New York, United States

This 10 week intervention, Specific Cognitive Remediation with Surround (or SCORES), is designed to target processing speed, a cognitive domain related directly to social functioning, which in turn, represents a vulnerability factor for psychosis. This remotely-delivered intervention combining targeted cognitive training exercises and group support was developed to directly impact processing speed, and at the same time, boost motivation and engagement in adolescents at risk for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.


Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to Understand Hallucinations in Schizophrenia

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: October 13, 2021
Eligibility: 18 Years to 55 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, United States

This study uses a noninvasive technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to study how hallucinations work in schizophrenia.

TMS is a noninvasive way of stimulating the brain, using a magnetic field to change activity in the brain. The magnetic field is produced by a coil that is held next to the scalp. In this study the investigators will be stimulating the brain to learn more about how TMS might improve these symptoms of schizophrenia.


Neurocognition After Perturbed Sleep

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: September 21, 2021
Eligibility: 18 Years to 60 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States

Individuals with schizophrenia display a wide range of neurocognitive difficulties resulting in functional impairment and disability. Extensive evidence indicates insomnia and sleep disturbances play a substantial role in degrading cognitive functioning. However, the putative impact of insomnia and sleep disturbances on neurocognition and daily functioning has not been investigated in people with schizophrenia. The goal of this study is to characterize sleep in individuals with schizophrenia and quantify its impact on neurocognition and daily functioning.


M1 Schizophrenia PET Study

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: April 20, 2021
Eligibility: 18 Years to 55 Years, Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Connecticut, United States

This exploratory study seeks to examine M1 receptor availability in SZ patients and to relate M1 receptor availability to proximal and distal measures of cognitive performance, namely evoked ɣ oscillations in the EEG and verbal memory. Furthermore, the relationship between hippocampal [11C]EMO availability (BPND), evoked ɣ oscillations, verbal memory, and measures of illness severity will be explored.


A Translational and Neurocomputational Evaluation of a Dopamine Receptor 1 Partial Agonist for Schizophrenia

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: March 2, 2021
Eligibility: 18 Years to 45 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States; University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States; Columbia University, New York, New York, United States

This study will test whether CVL-562 (PF-06412562), a dopamine 1 partial agonist novel compound, affects working memory neural circuits in patients with early episode schizophrenia. The overall aim is to establish neuroimaging biomarkers of the Dopamine Receptor 1/Dopamine Receptor 5 Family (D1R/D5R) target engagement to accelerate development of D1R/D5R agonists in humans to treat cognitive impairments that underlie functional disability in schizophrenia, a key unaddressed clinical and public health concern.


Family-Focused Therapy for Individuals at High Clinical Risk for Psychosis: A Confirmatory Efficacy Trial

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: January 15, 2021
Eligibility: 13 Years to 25 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Zucker Hillside Hospital, New York, New York, United States; Harvard University/Beth Israel Deconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States; Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States; University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, United States; University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, United States; University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States

The present study is a confirmatory efficacy trial of Family Focused Therapy for youth at clinical high risk for psychosis (FFT-CHR). This trial is sponsored by seven mature CHR clinical research programs from the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS). The young clinical high risk sample (N = 220 youth ages 13-25) is to be followed at 6-month intervals for 18 months.


In-person vs. Remote Wellness Support

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: November 24, 2020
Eligibility: 18 Years to 65 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): University of Texas Health Science Center - Department of Psychiatry, San Antonio, Texas, United States

The study team will use components of the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework to compare Cognitive Adaptation Training (CAT) to Remotely delivered Cognitive Adaptation Training (R-CAT) 1-9 within a managed care organization (MCO), targeting members with serious mental illness (SMI) needing assistance with the regular taking of medication.


Medial-prefrontal Enhancement During Schizophrenia Systems Imaging

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: November 12, 2020
Eligibility: 18 Years to 64 Years, Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): UCSF, San Francisco, California, United States

This randomized controlled trial in healthy controls (HC) and patients with schizophrenia (SZ) aims to examine 1) the underlying cognitive and neural cause of self-agency deficits in SZ; 2) the responsiveness to a novel navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (nrTMS) target in the medial/superior prefrontal cortex (mPFC); and 3) how modulation of mPFC activity impacts the larger self-agency network to mediate changes in self-agency judgments. Our overall hypothesis is that increased mPFC excitability by active high-frequency nrTMS in HC and SZ will induce behavioral improvements in self-agency and neural changes in the larger self-agency network that will generalize to improvements in overall cognition, symptoms and daily functioning, and will likely lead to the development of new effective neuromodulation therapies in patients with schizophrenia.


Impact of Inflammation on Reward Circuits, Motivational Deficits and Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: August 31, 2020
Eligibility: 18 Years to 59 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): Emory University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Atlanta, Georgia, United States; Emory Universtiy, Atlanta, Georgia, United States; Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States; Emory University Clinical Research Network, Atlanta, Georgia, United States; Emory Clinic, Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia, United States; Grady Health System (non-CRN), Grady Health System (CRN), Ponce Center, Atlanta, Georgia, United States

This study will recruit persons with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and will use an oral glucose tolerance test to test the hypothesis that insulin resistance drives inflammation.


Early-Phase Schizophrenia: Practice-based Research to Improve Outcomes

Study Type: Observational
Start Date: April 1, 2020
Eligibility: 15 Years to 40 Years
Location(s): Henderson Behavioral Health, Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, United States

The goal if the project is to develop a learning health network devoted to the treatment of first episode psychosis.


Multi-modal Assessment of Gamma-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Function in Psychosis

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: January 16, 2020
Eligibility: 16 Years to 60 Years, Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

The purpose of this study is to better understand mental illness and will test the hypotheses that while viewing affective stimuli, patient groups will show increased blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal by fMRI after lorazepam.

This study will enroll participants between the ages of 16 and 60, who have a psychotic illness (such as psychosis which includes conditions like schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and mood disorders). The study will also enroll eligible participants without any psychiatric illness, to compare their brains.

The study will require participants to have 3-4 sessions over a few weeks. The initial assessments (may be over two visits) will include a diagnostic interview and several questionnaires (qols) to assess eligibility. Subsequently, there will will be two separate functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) sessions in which lorazepam or placebo will be given prior to the MRI. During the fMRI the participants will also be asked to answer questions. Additionally, the participants will have their blood drawn, women of child bearing potential will have a urine pregnancy test, vital signs taken, and asked to complete more qols.


Promoting Activity and Cognitive Enrichment in Schizophrenia (PACES)

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: October 1, 2019
Eligibility: 18 Years to 60 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

This project will conduct a confirmatory efficacy trial of two novel psychosocial interventions, Cognitive Enhancement Therapy and Enriched Supportive Therapy, for the treatment of persistent negative symptoms in schizophrenia.


Cognitive Adaption Training-Effectiveness in Real-world Settings and Mechanism of Action (CAT-EM)

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: April 4, 2019
Eligibility: 18 Years to 65 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): Providence Center, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; Chestnut Health Systems, Granite City, Illinois, United States; Community Mental Health Center Inc., Lawrenceburg, Indiana, United States; Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, Manchester, New Hampshire, United States; Peace Health, Eugene, Oregon, United States; United Services Inc., Dayville, Connecticut, United States; Henderson Behavioral Health, Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, United States

The investigators propose a cluster randomized effectiveness trial comparing Cognitive Adaptation Training (CAT; a psychosocial treatment using environmental supports such as signs, alarms, pill containers, checklists, technology and the organization of belongings established in a person's home or work environment to bypass the cognitive and motivational difficulties associated with schizophrenia ) to existing community treatment (CT) for individuals with schizophrenia in 8 community mental health centers across multiple states including 400 participants. Mechanisms of action will be examined. Participants will be assessed at baseline and 6 and 12 months on measures of functional and community outcome, medication adherence, symptoms, habit formation and automaticity, cognition and motivation.


Target Engagement and Response to Oxytocin

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: January 4, 2018
Eligibility: 18 Years to 65 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States

This study will measure whether the engagement of intranasal oxytocin with a brain target is related to effects on learning during a social cognition training program.


Biomarkers of Conversion Risk and Treatment Response in Early-Stage Schizophrenia

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: September 15, 2017
Eligibility: 18 Years to 35 Years, Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): New York State Psychiatric Institute & Columbia University, New York, New York, United States

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a highly debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder of young adulthood onset and a leading cause of disability worldwide. While treatments delivered at early stages of the disorder may be effective at reducing psychosis or altering the course of the disease, there are currently no biomarkers capable of identifying subjects in early stages of SZ who are likely to respond to treatment and would be good candidates for available proactive, symptomatic or future disease-modifying treatments; or those who would not respond and can be spared unnecessary medication exposure. The lack of these vitally important biomarkers provides a compelling rationale for the present multidisciplinary research project, which aims to develop and validate highly promising noninvasive and objective proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS)-based biomarkers for monitoring treatment response in early stages of SZ. In support of the viability of this overall objective is a large body of data, reported by the applicants and others, that show (a) that levels of glutamate (Glu) and - aminobutyric acid (GABA) - respectively, the major excitatory and inhibitory amino acid neurotransmitter systems - are abnormally elevated in medication-naïve and unmedicated first episode and chronic SZ patients; (b) that the effect of treatment with antipsychotic medications in these populations may be to lower or normalize brain levels of both Glu and GABA. To investigate the potential of these in vivo brain Glu and GABA abnormalities to serve as biomarkers of treatment response in early-stage SZ, the applicants propose to use 1H MRS to measure Glu and GABA levels in the largest cohort of medication-free SZ subjects to date, at baseline and following 4 weeks of antipsychotic treatment.


Neuronal Effects of Exercise in Schizophrenia

Study Type: Interventional
Start Date: August 31, 2014
Eligibility: 21 Years to 70 Years, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States

This study plans to learn more about how common drugs prescribed to individuals with schizophrenia contribute to weight gain, as well as how exercise and diet impact appetite and the brain's response to food. In this study, the investigators will be evaluating how participants' brains respond to food images as well as asking questions about their food preferences and intake and clinical symptoms. The investigators may also ask participants to complete an exercise or diet intervention to see how this changes brain responses or food preferences.


Imaging Cannabinoid Receptors Using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scanning

Study Type: Observational
Start Date: July 31, 2010
Eligibility: Males, 18 Years to 55 Years, Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): Connecticut Mental Health Center, Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, New Haven, Connecticut, United States

The aim of the present study is to assess the availability of cannabinoid receptors (CB1R) in the human brain. CB1R are present in everyone's brain, regardless of whether or not someone has used cannabis. The investigators will image brain cannabinoid receptors using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging and the radioligand OMAR, in healthy individuals and several conditions including 1) cannabis use disorders, 2) psychotic disorders, 3) prodrome of psychotic illness and 4) individuals with a family history of alcoholism, 5) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 6) Opioid Use Disorder using the PET imaging agent or radiotracer, [11C]OMAR. This will allow us to characterize the number and distribution of CB1R in these conditions. It is likely that the list of conditions will be expanded after the collection of pilot data and as new data on cannabinoids receptor function and psychiatric disorders becomes available.

Those in the cannabis us disorder arm of the study will have a PET scan on at least three occasions: once while smoking as usual, once after 48-hours of abstinence from cannabis, and a final time after 4 weeks of abstinence. Additional scans may be conducted within the 4 weeks and the last scan may be conducted well beyond 4 weeks. Similarly, while most schizophrenia patients may get scanned just once, a subgroup of patients may get scanned more than once. For example to tease out the effects of medications, unmedicated patients may get scanned while unmedicated and again after treatment with antipsychotic medications. Similarly prodromes may get scanned while in the prodromal stage off medications, on medications and after conversion to schizophrenia.


Functional Relevance of Dopamine Receptors in Healthy Controls and Patients With Schizophrenia: Characterization Through [11C]NNC-112 and [18F]Fallypride Positron Emission Tomography

Study Type: Observational
Start Date: November 13, 2009
Eligibility: 18 Years to 90 Years, Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Background:

Some illnesses, such as schizophrenia, have effects on brain cells called dopamine receptors, which are required for normal brain function. People with schizophrenia have difficulty thinking and experience hallucinations and delusions. Medications that change brain dopamine receptors can decrease these hallucinations and delusions. The cause of schizophrenia and its association with brain dopamine receptors is not known but may be clarified by studying dopamine receptors in people who have dopamine disorders (such as schizophrenia) and those who do not. Researchers are interested in studying the dopamine system to gain a better idea of how dopamine disorders develop, which may lead to better medical care for people with schizophrenia.

Objectives:

- To study the amount and distribution of two types of dopamine receptors.

Eligibility:

Individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 who have schizophrenia. Healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 90.

Design:

Participants will undergo a full screening, with physical and psychological history, a neurological examination, and blood and urine samples. Participants will have a blood flow map of the brain recorded with a positron emission tomography (PET) brain scan. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan will also be performed to determine brain anatomy. To study the amount and distribution of dopamine receptors in the brain, participants will receive a small amount of a radioactive chemical in the vein, followed by a PET scan. The procedure will be performed twice in two separate sessions, once for [18F]fallypride and once for [11C]NNC-112.


PET Scanning in Parkinson s Disease

Study Type: Observational
Start Date: March 15, 2002
Eligibility: 18 Years to 90 Years, Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, United States

This is an in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) study of regional cerebral dopamine and blood flow in normal volunteers, persons with Parkinson s disease (both familial and sporadic), and those with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The latter also sign consent for NIH approved protocol 89-M-0160, "Inpatient Evaluation of Neuropsychiatric Patients," PI: Daniel Eisenberg, M.D. Using PET with 6-[F-18] Fluoro-L-dopa (FDOPA) and (15)0-H2O in a single scan session, both presynaptic dopaminergic function and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) are assessed. The kinetic rate constant (Ki) for presynaptic dopaminergic uptake in striatum and other regions is calculated. We compare Ki across subject groups and relate the findings to rCBF. Findings are also related to allelic variation in genes of interest, for determination of which participants sign separate consent for NIH approved protocol 95-M-0150 Neurobiological Investigation of Patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and Their Siblings, PI: Karen F. Berman, MD. We also draw comparisons between subjects with inherited vs. sporadic Parkinson s disease to determine whether the PET phenotype is the same in both groups, and we compare system-level, circuit-based pathophysiology across PD and schizophrenia groups. Each subject is further screened with an MRI to rule out structural abnormalities and also to further delineate areas of interest in the PET scans.


Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of Neuropsychiatric Patients and Healthy Volunteers

Study Type: Observational
Start Date: February 17, 2000
Eligibility: 18 Years and Older, Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, United States

The purpose of this study is to use brain imaging technology to compare differences in brain structure, chemistry, and functioning in individuals with brain and mental disorders compared to healthy volunteers.

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that results from subtle changes and abnormalities in neurons. These deficits likely occur in localized regions of the brain and may result in widespread, devastating consequences. The neuronal abnormalities are inherited through a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors. Brain imaging technologies can be used to better characterize brain changes in individuals with schizophrenia. This study will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to identify predictable, quantifiable abnormalities in neurophysiology, neurochemistry and neuroanatomy that characterize schizophrenia and other neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.


Genetic Study of Schizophrenia

Study Type: Observational
Start Date: July 15, 1995
Eligibility: 18 Years to 55 Years, Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, United States

This large ongoing study at NIMH investigates the neurobiology of schizophrenia by identifying susceptibility genes, evaluating their impact on brain function to better understand how to treat and prevent this illness....


Brain Imaging of Childhood Onset Psychiatric Disorders, Endocrine Disorders and Healthy Volunteers

Study Type: Observational
Start Date: June 19, 1990
Eligibility: 3 Years and Older, Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unlike X-rays and CT-scans does not use radiation to create a picture. MRI use as the name implies, magnetism to create pictures with excellent anatomical resolution. Functional MRIs are diagnostic tests that allow doctors to not only view anatomy, but physiology and function. It is for these reasons that MRIs are excellent methods for studying the brain.

In this study, researchers will use MRI to assess brain anatomy and function in X and Y chromosome variation, healthy volunteers, and patients with a variety of childhood onset psychiatric disorders. The disorders include attention deficit disorder, autism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, childhood-onset schizophrenia, dyslexia, obsessive compulsive disorder, Sydenham's chorea, and Tourette's syndrome.

Results of the MRIs showing the anatomy of the brain and brain function will be compared across age, sex (gender), and diagnostic groups. Correlations between brain and behavioral measures will be examined for normal and clinical populations....


Inpatient Evaluation of Adults With Schizophrenia

Study Type: Observational
Start Date: September 15, 1989
Eligibility: 18 Years and Older, Does Not Accept Healthy Volunteers
Location(s): National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, United States

The purpose of this study is to understand the biologic basis of schizophrenia and to determine which symptoms are related to the illness itself and which are related to medications used to treat the illness.

Schizophrenia and related psychoses are chronic brain disorders whose prognosis is often poor and whose pathophysiology remains obscure. Brain imaging technologies such s positron emission tomography (PET), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offer opportunities to study the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders by evaluating brain function. However, the use of anti-psychotic drugs may interfere with the results of such studies. In this study, psychotropic medication will be discontinued in patients for a short period of time to distinguish the effects of the illness on the brain without the interference of the medication's effects on the brain. Given that there is a risk that the patient's symptoms will increase, they are asked to stay on an inpatient unit where the NIMH clinical staff is available to help them 24 hours a day.

This study will be conducted in three phases. In Phase 1, participants will be admitted to the Clinical Center while continuing to take their medication and will undergo diagnostic interviews, physical and laboratory assessments, physiological monitoring, and neuropsychological testing. Behavioral ratings will also be performed and blood and urine samples will be collected. During Phase 2, participants will continue taking medications in a blinded fashion for 8 to 12 weeks. The active medications will be replaced with a placebo (an inactive pill) part of that time. PET, fMRI, and MRI scans will be used to monitor how the continuation or lack of medication affects the brain. Psychological tests will also be given to measure changes in cognition. In Phase 3, participants will have the opportunity for clinical stabilization.

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