View clinical trials related to Schizoaffective Disorder.
Filter by:This study will provide information regarding dopamine D2/D3 occupancy related with clinical/adverse effects in older people with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. The results of this study will also show an appropriate dose range in order to evade undesirable adverse effects while deriving therapeutic effects, which will directly serve to guide physicians in clinical practice. Furthermore, the findings of this study will elucidate mechanisms underlying older people's increased sensitivity to antipsychotic drugs. In addition, the contribution of D2 and D3 in mediating antipsychotic response will be contrasted, using 2 radiotracers, which has never been tested in an older population. The hypotheses are as follows: First, clinical response (i.e., a ≥ 20% decrease in the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale total score) will be achieved in older patients with occupancy that is lower than the threshold of 60% in historical young controls. Second, prolactin elevation and EPS will be detected in older patients with occupancies that are lower than the thresholds of 72 and 78% reported in historical young controls. Third, dopamine D2 receptor occupancy will be inversely correlated with subjective well-beings. Fourth, the binding potential and receptor occupancy will be at least 20% lower with [11C]-(+)-PHNO than with [11C]-raclopride in the caudate/putamen. Fifth, the binding of [11C]-(+)-PHNO in the globus pallidus will be higher than that of [11C]-raclopride.
This study will investigate adjunctive pregnenolone for cognitive symptoms and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.
Atypical antipsychotic medications, such as olanzapine, cause metabolic side effects, including weight gain, extra fat around the middle of the body, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol. One of the mechanisms by which these medications may cause these effects is by reducing plasma melatonin. This study is a pilot project to evaluate 1) the effect of olanzapine on melatonin secretion levels and 2) the effect of melatonin on olanzapine-induced changes in melatonin secretion in patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective, or bipolar disorder.
Our overall aim is to determine if the administration of guanfacine in combination with aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, and/or risperidone is significantly more effective than any of those medications alone in treating some of the cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.
The current study aims to develop and evaluate a practical, short-term support and education program for relatives of individuals with schizophrenia. This program has been developed to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in the following ways: 1. The intervention specifically targets those factors empirically demonstrated to improve family functioning and well being. Specifically, this pilot intervention aims to: a) increase relatives’ knowledge about schizophrenia spectrum disorders; b) help families attribute distressing behaviors of their ill relatives more accurately, by helping them to distinguish behaviors that are directly related to the illness from personality characteristics; c) improve attitudes towards the patient and reduce stress in interactions with the patient; d) encourage problem-focused coping strategies; e) reduce burden; f) provide opportunities for relatives to expand their social support network; g) help families learn about and utilize community resources. 2. The program involves both individual and multifamily group components, in order to reap the benefits of both formats. Specifically, multifamily psychoeducation groups (involving individuals from several different families) tend to be more economical and allow participants to learn from each other, increase their social support networks, and reduce feelings of stigma. In contrast, individualized programs can target the specific needs of participants.
Many persons with schizophrenia have difficulty getting and keeping a job. This study is designed to compare the benefits of four sessions of motivational interviewing or illness education in increasing employment rates accruing from participation in supported employment.
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of integrated treatment for patients with a first episode of psychotic illness. We conducted a randomised clinical trial in Copenhagen Hospital Corporation and Psychiatric Hospital Aarhus, Denmark. We included 547 patients with first episode of schizophrenia spectrum disorder, who has not received antipsychotic medication for more than 12 weeks. Patients were randomised to integrated treatment or standard treatment. The integrated treatment lasted for two years and consisted of assertive community treatment with programmes for family involvement and social skills training. Standard treatment offered contact with a community mental health centre. We wanted to study the effect on psychotic (hallucinations and delusions)and negative (lack of initiative, apati, blunted affect) symptoms (each scored from 0 to a maximum of 5) at one and two years' follow-up. We found that integrated treatment improved clinical outcome and adherence to treatment. The improvement in clinical outcome was consistent at one year and two year follow-ups. We will study further outcome measures such as social network, quality of life, depression and suicidal behaviour.