A Trial of Cognitive Training in Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
About this trial
This is an interventional supportive care trial for Schizophrenia focused on measuring Cognitive Training, Working Memory, Processing Speed
Eligibility Criteria
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)
Sites / Locations
- Foothills Medical Centre
- Schizophrenia Society of Alberta
- Schizophrenia Society of Alberta
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Experimental
Experimental
No Intervention
Working Memory group
Processing Speed group
Control group
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. One experimental group will complete the working memory training, which involves three games: N-back, Multi-Memory, and Moving Memory. These games are designed to engage processes involving updating and manipulation of information. All of the training games are adaptive. Participants randomized to this cognitive training arm will complete the training games for 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week, for a total of 10 weeks.
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. One experimental group will complete the processing speed training, which involves three games: Line It Up, Sliding Search, and Bubble Math. These games are designed to engage processes involving thinking speed. Participants randomized to this cognitive training arm will complete the training games for 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week, for a total of 10 weeks
The control group will wait 10-weeks, during which they will receive treatment-as-usual (TAU), which might involve pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, or both. After the 10-week waiting period, a post-assessment will be completed.