View clinical trials related to Schizophrenia.
Filter by:The primary objective of this study is to determine if NAC, added to existing antipsychotic treatment, is superior to placebo for cortical erosion in patients with early stage psychosis. The primary hypothesis is that there will be significantly less cortical erosion as measured by cortical thickness, cortical volume and cortical white matter density (assessed by DTI) in patients treated for 12 months with NAC as compared to those treated with placebo. The secondary objectives of this study are to determine if 12 months of NAC add-on treatment is superior to placebo for fMRI determined working memory and semantic memory tasks, cortical MR spectroscopy measures (glutathione, N-acetylaspartate, and glutamine/glutamate levels), electrophysiologically determined attention measures (e.g., mismatch negativity, P300), symptoms, functional measures and cognitive functioning.
Prolactin is a hormone that naturally occurs in the body. Some women taking antipsychotic medications may have high levels of prolactin in their bodies. High levels of prolactin may cause women to have problems with sex or satisfaction from sex. It may also cause women to have fewer or no menstrual periods. It may also cause the production of breast milk and may contribute to long term bone loss. In this study, the investigators are testing whether taking adding a low dose of an antipsychotic medication called aripiprazole may help improve high prolactin levels and help with sexual dysfunction or problems with menstrual periods. The investigators are also looking to see if it may slow the loss of bones. This medication has been shown to be helpful for improving symptoms of schizophrenia.
This stage 1 clinical trial will determine pilot efficacy, develop a therapy manual, and collect qualitative data concerning a brief money management intervention for people disabled by psychiatric illnesses.
The aim of this research is to investigate the neurolinguistic mechanisms underlying thought disorders among schizophrenic patients. In particular, it will investigate the neurolinguistic basis for loose association - a phenomena which this population is characterized by. Several researchers have previously suggested that loose associations among schizophrenic patients relate to a lack of inhibition in the automatic spread of activation mechanisms within semantic networks (e.g., Soriano, Jimenez, Roman, & Bajo, 2008). This research focuses on the relationship between I. the left-right hemisphere dynamic and II. semantic processing, among schizophrenic patients. The research follows Jung-Beeman's (2005) model which relates semantic associations, activation and inhibition processes to the functioning of the two cerebral hemispheres. Previous research suggests that, when compared to the neurotypical population, people with schizophrenia show a less defined - or even reversed - hemispheric lateralization pattern for semantic processing. This is linked to an impairment in language function in the left hemisphere, and to a language functions shift from left to right hemisphere (e.g., Crow, 1997). The investigators assume that this unique lateralization pattern may cause a change in balance in the semantic activation and inhibition system among schizophrenic patients. As stated, one of the linguistic models that predicts how reduced left hemisphere dominancy will influence linguistic functioning is Jung-Beeman's (2005) bilateral model for language understanding. According to this model, the left hemisphere specializes in precise and fine semantic processing, while the right hemisphere specializes in coarse and abstract semantic processing. Building upon this distinction, our assumption is that schizophrenic patients experience a difficulty in fine semantic processing which is caused by functional impairment in the left hemisphere. It is our further assumption that coarse semantic processing - located in the right hemisphere - is relatively unimpaired. This change in the balance between the two processes may have direct implications on the associative semantic network among schizophrenic patients. In order to test this hypothesis, the current research will make use of a specific language expression type which involves fine and coarse semantic processing, and for which there is evidence for crucial right hemisphere involvement: novel metaphor processing. 10-20 adult schizophrenic patients will be presented with four different types of two word expressions: literal; conventional metaphor; novel metaphor and unrelated. The patients will have to decide as quickly and accurately as possible if the expression is meaningful or meaningless while their brain activity is recorded by a Magnetoencephalographic (MEG) device (which combines a high temporal resolution with the ability to localize the activity). Therefore, our main hypothesis is that schizophrenic patients will show a bilateral brain activity pattern when conducting semantic decisions, and that this pattern will be related to improved reaction times and accuracy when presented with novel metaphors than when presented with other types of expressions.
Obesity and physical inactivity have become serious problems for individuals with mental illness, resulting in increased rates of chronic disease, premature death, and substantial health care costs. Although in-person psychoeducational interventions help individuals with mental illness manage their weight, these interventions are often not used because they require frequent travel to treatment programs and substantial time from clinicians. This project addresses these barriers by developing and evaluating the effectiveness of an web-based computer system that is focused on diet and exercise education, and designed to help individuals with mental illness manage their weight.
The purpose of this study is to explore the safety, tolerability, and potential clinical efficacy of JNJ 40411813 in schizophrenic patients.
The purpose of this study is to determine how services should be provided to reduce symptoms and improve life functioning for adolescents and adults who have been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) can enhance cognitive performance in patients with schizophrenia improving clinical outcome. However, the neurobiological mechanism underlying cognitive improvement is not well understood. The aim of this study is to investigate functional connectivity patterns before and after the neurocognitive rehabilitation therapy, especially in fronto-temporal circuitry.
Multi-site Communication Deficits Underlying Cognitive Dysfunction in the Prodromal Phase and First Episode of Schizophrenia
The investigators aim to assess the dental status of psychiatric patients suffering from severe mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, ptsd, resistant depression).