Schizophrenia
Conditions
Keywords
cognitive training
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a neuroplasticity-based computerized cognitive training for people with schizophrenia in the Brazilian population.
Detailed description
Cognitive impairments are important determinants of functional outcome in schizophrenia, which are inadequately treated by antipsychotic medication. Neuroplasticity based computerized cognitive trainings have been emerging for the last two decades and are an attempt to help patients with their cognitive impairments and global functioning. The aim of this study is to perform a computerized cognitive training to improve attention, concentration, learning, clinical symptoms and quality of life in patients. The investigators are interested in testing the differential efficacy between a specific visual versus auditory computerized cognitive training and explore the biological markers that may be involved in these neuroplasticity based training processes. The investigators will conduct a 40 hours computerized, adaptable, perception specific, cognitive training program in patients with schizophrenia. Patients will come for 1 hour, daily, and perform a visual or auditory training, or control games for about 2 months. Visual and auditory exercises are chosen to be the equivalent of one another and target cognitive domains such as divided attention, working memory and social cognition. Clinical, cognitive, emotional and biomarker data will be collected before the training, half way through, and after the training, to assess progress in several aspects of their functioning and biology. The investigators hypothesize visual and auditory trainings will be effective as compared to the control games. They also expect that auditory training to be more efficient compared to the visual training because it targets sensory functions that are mostly impaired in schizophrenia, due to auditory hallucinations patients experience. The investigators also hypothesize that both trainings will improve clinical symptoms and quality of life. On a more exploratory analysis, the investigators expect to identify new biological markers of cognitive neuroplasticity, which they expect will differentiate visual and auditory paths.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALComputerized cognitive training
Sponsors
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder based on DSM-IV criteria * age 18- 60 years * Portuguese as primary language (learned before age 12) * no major medical or neurological disorder that precludes participation in the study
Exclusion criteria
* IQ score \<70 * active substance dependence (DSM-IV criteria)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Global cognition score change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | The global cognition score is a composite measure from the MATRICS (Measurement And Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia) Consensus Cognitive Battery tests |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Processing speed score change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Processing speed score will be measured using the Motor task from CANTAB (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery) test and the category fluency |
| Attention score change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Attention score will be measured using the Reaction time test and Rapid visual processing CANTAB tests |
| Working memory score change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Working memory will be measured using the Spatial working memory CANTAB test and the digit backward |
| Verbal memory and learning score change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Verbal memory and learning score will be measured using the Hopkins verbal learning test |
| Visuospatial memory and learning score change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Visuospatial memory and learning score will be measured using the brief visuospatial memory test |
| Reasoning and problem solving score change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Reasoning and problem solving score will be measured using the Stockings of Cambridge CANTAB test |
| Reward task score change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Reward task score will be measured using the reward task (adapted from Graham Murray) |
| Emotional inhibition control score change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Emotional inhibition control score will be measured using the Affective go no go CANTAB test |
| Biological markers from the glutamatergic system change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Biological markers from the glutamatergic system will be measured using High profile liquid chromatography |
| Genes of neuroplasticity | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Genes of neuroplasticity will be measured using candidate genotyping and Genome wide analysis |
| Eotaxin 1 change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Levels of eotaxin 1 will be measured using ELISA kit |
| Prepulse inhibition change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Prepulse inhibition will be measured via eye muscle reaction to sound |
| Eye-tracking change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Eye-tracking will be measured via an infrared camera while patients do cognitive tests |
| Electroencephalogram (EEG) change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | EEG will be measured with electrodes on the surface of the skull while patients do cognitive tests |
| motivation scores change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Motivation scores will be measured with an interview and the Behavior Inhibition/Activation Scale questionnaire |
| Depression score change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Depression score will be measured using the Hamilton - Depression questionnaire |
| Anxiety score change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Depression score will be measured using the Hamilton - Anxiety questionnaire |
| Mood scores change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | mood scores will be measured using the Visual analogue scale (Norris 1971) |
| Positive and negative syndrome scale score change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Clinical score will be measured using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia |
| Quality of Life change | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Quality of life will be measured using the World Health Organization of quality of life |
Countries
Brazil
Contacts
Primary ContactRogerio Panizzutti, M.D., Ph.D.
Backup ContactLinda Scoriels, Ph.D.
Outcome results
None listed