Schizophrenia Clinical Trials

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. Read Less

Levetiracetam (LEV: (S)-α-ethyl-2-oxo-pyrrolidine acetamide) is an anticonvulsant/antiepileptic drug. The specific aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of low-dose LEV in reducing hippocampal activity in schizophrenia. The investigators also hypothesize that LEV will improve neurocognition in participants with schizophrenia. Read Less

This study purpose is to conduct a confirmatory double-blind randomized controlled trial in an inpatient setting of the effects of a tightly controlled gluten-free diet (GFD) to improve negative symptoms in people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who have antibodies to gliadin (AGA IgG). As part of the project investigators will also confirm outcomes such as cognitive symptoms, changes in peripheral and central inflammation as well as gut/blood brain barrier permeability. Read Less

This is a multicenter, global, 26-week, open-label study to assess the safety and tolerability of lumateperone in pediatric patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Read Less

Chronic pain has a highly negative impact on Veterans, especially those with serious mental illness (SMI). Chronic pain leads to poorer mental health and physical functioning, and represents a critical obstacle to rehabilitation and recovery. Despite known high prevalence rates of chronic pain in SMI populations, there is little research to: a) evaluate nonpharmacological pain management strategies in this population, and b) examine directional relations between chronic pain and SMI symptoms. This study aims to address research and clinical gaps by: a) testing the feasibility and acceptability of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP) - a VA evidence-based psychotherapy for chronic pain - in Veterans with SMI, and b) better assessing the complex relation between chronic pain and psychiatric symptoms and their impact on functioning. Results from this study will inform us as to whether CBT-CP is feasible to implement, acceptable to Veterans with SMI, and worth examining in its standard or in an optimized form in a larger clinical trial. Read Less

This is a double blind adjunctive randomized controlled trial for schizophrenia using cromoglicate. Read Less

This is a double blind adjunctive randomized controlled trial for schizophrenia using acetazolamide. Read Less

This clinical trial is a single center, single dose study of the acute effects of intranasal insulin on energy metabolism and cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar disorders, compared and healthy controls. Read Less

Kynurenic acid (KYNA) is a naturally occurring chemical in the brain. Studies with rodents indicate that levels of KYNA can impact levels of the neurotransmitters glutamate and dopamine. One way to reliably increase KYNA levels is by ingesting the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is a normal part of the human diet. Tryptophan gets metabolized/changed to other chemicals in the body- including KYNA. By giving people 6 grams of tryptophan, the investigators will be able to increase the KYNA level in a controlled way. The investigators will then be able to study the effects of KYNA on neurotransmitters by using cognitive tests and magnetic resonance imaging techniques (measuring brain activity and brain chemistry using the MRI magnet). The overall goal of the study is to examine how the medication N-acetylcysteine (NAC), when added to tryptophan, affects various cognitive functions, such as verbal and visual memory. The investigators will also use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine how NAC affects brain activity and chemicals. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to examine whether cerebellar stimulation can be used to improve cognitive deficits and mood in patients with schizophrenia, autism, bipolar disorder, Parkinson's disease, and major depression. Read Less

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. Read Less

Many individuals with serious mental illness have difficulty accurately interpreting interpersonal cues and effectively engaging in social exchanges. Difficulties related to the interpersonal aspects of work can lead to isolation, poor productivity, and job loss. The goals of this study are to: 1) adapt an evidence-based social cognitive skills intervention for work settings and use with Veterans, 2) examine the acceptability of the work focused skills training intervention, 3) assess the feasibility of combining the social cognitive skills training program with supported employment, and 4) examine change on functional outcomes. The current study will use feedback from veteran and employment specialist stakeholders to adapt an evidence-based social cognitive skills training program, Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT). The intervention will be modified to tailor it to work relationships and to address any unique relationship concerns among Veterans that are identified by stakeholders. SCIT-Work Edition (SCIT-WE) will add: 1) education about work-related social norms; 2) examples of work-related social interactions that require perspective taking and problem- solving; 3) individual sessions with the study therapist to enhance learning and relevance to each participant's goals; 4) structured interactions with the participant's employment specialist to practice skills outside of group; and 5) skill application sessions with the participant's employment specialist that prompt use of skills after training is completed. SCIT-WE will be developed and piloted in an open trial with 20 Veterans enrolled in the supported employment program at the Minneapolis VA who have a qualifying serious mental illness diagnosis. SCIT-WE will be offered for 2 hours weekly over 13 weeks, when most participants are in the job development and job search phases of supported employment. While participating in the group skills training, participants will have weekly, individual homework review sessions with the group facilitator to promote understanding of the skills and to discuss relevance of the skills to personal goals. Participants also will practice skills weekly with their employment specialist for 10-15 minutes to promote use of skills outside of group sessions. In the 3-months following skills training completion, participants will complete 10 15-minute skills review sessions with their employment specialist to encourage continued skill application in a work setting. Participants will complete assessments at baseline, before receiving the intervention; 3-months post-enrollment, after participating in a weekly skills training group; and 6-months post-enrollment, after receiving 10 additional individual skills review sessions with their employment specialist. Accessibility will be measured with rate of treatment uptake, rate of treatment completion, and participant attitudes toward the intervention. Feasibility of the intervention will be assessed by examining retention in supported employment and the study at 3- and 6-months post-enrollment. Impact of the intervention will be examined with measures of quality of life, social adjustment, self-efficacy, and work relationship quality. It is hypothesized that the intervention will be acceptable to Veterans. The investigators predict a 50% treatment uptake rate, a 70% intervention completion rate, and positive ratings on measures of satisfaction, interest, and value. The investigators hypothesize that it will be feasible to complete this intervention in combination with supported employment activities. The investigators predict that retention in both skills training and supported employment will be 75% at 3-months post-enrollment and 60% 6-months post enrollment. The investigators hypothesize that positive change will be seen at 3-months post-enrollment and sustained at 6-months post-enrollment on measures of quality of life and social adjustment. The investigators predicted that self-efficacy regarding return to work will be improved at 3-months post-enrollment. The investigators predict that Veterans will report being productive and having positive work relationships 6-months post-enrollment. The findings will inform the development of a novel intervention targeting the social and functional impairments associated with serious mental illness. The knowledge gained from this study will guide the development of the next generation of interventions. Given that employment is a critical part of recovery, advancement in therapeutic interventions that support Veterans in this process will be of significance. Read Less