Schizophrenia
Conditions
Keywords
Mental Health, Psychosis, Genetics, Heredity
Brief summary
This is a study of the genetic basis of brain dysfunction in people with schizophrenia.
Detailed description
Schizophrenia is a disabling disorder that is associated with specific inheritable neurobiologic deficits. These deficits can cause problems with memory, visual attention, information processing, and other aspects of daily living. Understanding the genetic components of these deficits in people with schizophrenia and their unaffected family members may help uncover the neurobiological basis, risk factors, and heritability of the disease. In addition, the information may serve to create more effective treatments and possibly a cure for the disease. This study will serve to provide information about the genetic basis of known inherited neurobiological deficits in people with schizophrenia. In turn, this may guide further studies on the genetics of schizophrenia. Participants will attend 2 study visits, each of which will last approximately 4 hours. The first will include blood tests and diagnostic interviews of participating families to evaluate the presence of schizophrenic symptoms. The second study visit will entail four neurocognitive and neurophysiological tests. Participants will first have a pre-pulse inhibition test, which uses electrodes to measure eye blinking. Electrodes will also be placed on participants' head, ears, and around their eyes to measure brain waves. Next, participants will undergo an oculomotor test, during which they will wear glasses fitted with sensors that record eye movement. Participants will then be asked to repeat a list of words, letters, and numbers read by a researcher. Last, participants will undergo a computerized performance test requiring them to watch the computer screen and click a mouse whenever they see a number between 0 and 9. Each study visit will take approximately 4 hours.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
University of California, San Diego
Study design
Observational model
FAMILY_BASED
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
for Participating Families: * Families with at least one member who has schizophrenia
Exclusion criteria
* N/A
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| percent inhibition to the 60 msec prepulse, P50 suppression, proportion of correct saccades, d, number correct in the reorder condition, the total recall score | Upon entry to the study | The primary outcome measure for each endophenotype is as follows: for prepulse inhibition (PPI) the primary measure is the percent inhibition to the 60 msec prepulse; for P50 suppression it is the difference in amplitude between the test and conditioning stimuli; for antisaccade it is the proportion of correct saccades; for the DS-CPT it is (d') which is based on correct target detections and incorrect responses to nontargets; for LNS it is the number correct in the reorder condition; for CVLT it is the total recall score summed across 5 trials. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed