Schizophrenia
Conditions
Keywords
Cognitive Training, Working Memory, Processing Speed
Brief summary
Schizophrenia is associated with a wide range of symptoms impacting a number of different domains, including cognitive impairment. Given the array of cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia and their relationship to daily functioning, numerous research groups have examined the impact of cognitive remediation on many aspects of cognition. However, it is currently unclear as to which domains of cognition should be targeted to produce the most widespread and durable benefits for schizophrenia patients. It may be the case that targeting lower-level cognitive processes that are important for higher-level and more complex aspects of cognition may produce the most widespread benefits in cognition and everyday functioning. Relatively few studies have examined the effects of working memory or processing speed training on individuals with schizophrenia, as most studies examine broad-based remediation programs. Thus, there is a need for targeted working memory and processing speed training studies to better understand the mechanisms of cognitive enhancement through training in patients. This study will aim to: 1) investigate near-transfer gains associated with working memory and processing speed training in schizophrenia patients, 2) investigate far-transfer gains associated with working memory and processing speed training (i.e., gains in other neurocognitive domains and social cognition), and 3) investigate real-world gains associated with training (i.e., gains in daily functioning). Towards this aim, 81 schizophrenia patients will be recruited and randomly assigned to a working memory training group, a processing speed training group, or a no training control group. Training will be completed at home for 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week, for a total of 10 weeks. Neurocognitive, social cognitive, and daily functioning measures will be administered both pre- and post-training to detect training-related gains.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALCognitive training
The neurocognitive training program will be provided by an online platform called BrainGymmer (https://www.braingymmer.com/en/brain-games/). Users will receive an account where they will only have access to the training games they have been assigned to and where their activity will be logged. Participants randomized one of the cognitive training arms will complete the training games for 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week, for a total of 10 weeks.
Sponsors
University of Calgary
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Male or female * Age between 18 and 65 years * A diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder * Minimum IQ of 70 * No uncorrected visual impairment, including colour blindness * No uncorrected hearing impairment * Able to provide informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* Meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for a current major depressive episode, manic episode, or hypomanic episode * Past 1 month history of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) * Past 1 month history of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation therapy (TMS) * Past 3 month history of substance abuse * Diagnosed with a medical condition known to affect cognition (e.g., endocrine disease) * Score less than 70 on the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fluid intelligence | Change from baseline to post-assessment (after 10 weeks of training) | Measured with Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices and Cattell's Culture Fair Test |
| Processing Speed | Change from baseline to post-assessment (after 10 weeks of training) | Measured with Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale 4th Edition (WAIS-IV) Symbol Search and Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) Color Naming Task |
| Working Memory | Change from baseline to post-assessment (after 10 weeks of training) | Measured with Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale 4th Edition (WAIS-IV) Digit Span, Spatial Maintenance and Manipulation Task, and Visual N-Back Task |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Executive functions: categorization, set-shifting, and cognitive flexibility | Change from baseline to post-assessment (after 10 weeks of training) | Measured with Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) Color-Word Interference Test and Trail Making Test |
| Behavioural Impulsivity | Change from baseline to post-assessment (after 10 weeks of training) | Measured with Delay Discounting Task |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Daily functioning: cognitive failures in daily life, performance, social, and occupational functioning | Change from baseline to post-assessment (after 10 weeks of training) | Measured with Cognitive Failures Questionnaire, UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment (UPSA-Brief), and Social and Occupational Functional Assessment Scale (SOFAS) |
| Beliefs Regarding Cognition | Change from baseline to post-assessment (after 10 weeks of training) | Need for Cognition Scale and Theories of Intelligence Scale |
| Symptoms | Change from baseline to post-assessment (after 10 weeks of training) | Measured with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) |
| Social Cognition: Emotion Recognition and Theory of Mind | Change from baseline to post-assessment (after 10 weeks of training) | Measured with Geneva Emotion Recognition Test and Hinting Task |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed