Rituximab for Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (RITS-PS-2019)
Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic DisordersTreatment-resistant SchizophreniaThis study evaluates the addition of rituximab to 12 patients diagnosed with treatment resistant schizophrenia spectrum disorder in an open trial.
Overcoming Psychomotor Slowing in Psychosis (OCoPS-P)
Schizophrenia and Related DisordersSchizophrenia2 morePsychomotor slowing is a major problem in psychosis. Aberrant function of the cerebral motor system is linked to psychomotor slowing in patients, particularly resting state hyperactivity in premotor cortices. A previous clinical trial indicated that inhibitory stimulation of the premotor cortex would reduce psychomotor slowing. The current study is further exploring this effect in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind design with three arms of transcranial magnetic stimulation and measures of brain imaging and physiology prior to and after the intervention.
Improving Psychological Therapy for Psychosis: A Case Series
PsychosisStandard psychological therapy for psychosis (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is made up of different 'ingredients', also called treatment components. In therapy, different treatment components can be included or excluded depending on the needs of the individual. In this study, the investigators want to find out if standard psychological therapy for psychosis can be improved by including new treatment components. Therefore, participants in this study will be offered psychological therapy for psychosis with new treatment components included or standard psychological therapy for psychosis without new treatment components included. Which of these two options participants are offered will be decided by chance, and during the study neither the study participants nor the researcher will know which of these two variations of psychological therapy are given. Researchers call this a randomized double-blind study. The investigators are aiming to use the results from this study to guide the improvement of psychological therapies for psychosis.
Exercise and Overnight Motor Sequence Task
Schizophrenia and Related DisordersPsychotic DisordersThe objective of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to compare the changes of the sleep-related memory functions in patients with psychosis after they have completed the 12-week high-intensity exercise intervention, the 12-week low-intensity exercise intervention, or the 12-week controlled non-exercise intervention respectively. Fifty-one patients with psychosis, patients who received either the high-intensity exercise or low-intensity exercise as intervention shown a significant improvement to their impaired sleep-related memory function, while those who received non-exercise intervention has no such improvement. Moreover, high-intensity exercise may have a more prominent effect compare to low-intensity exercise.
Persistence Targeted Smoking Cessation in Serious Mental Illness (SMI)
Tobacco UseTobacco Smoking4 moreDue to the pandemic, this study was modified from a randomized clinical trial to test the feasibility, initial efficacy, and mechanisms of action of our PTSC-S intervention to a feasibility and acceptability test of our intervention when delivered via telehealth in a single group, within-subjects design.
Improving Accessibility and Personalization of CR for Schizophrenia
SchizophreniaSchizoaffective DisorderThis project will explore adaptations of treatments for schizophrenia, with the goal of optimizing their effectiveness in real-world clinical settings and readiness for broad deployment. Schizophrenia is associated with cognitive deficits that negatively impact essential areas of daily functioning. NY State Office of Mental Health (OMH) is the first and largest state system of care to implement a statewide program of cognitive remediation (CR), an evidence-based practice for improving cognition and aiding functional recovery. Through Cognitive Remediation to Promote Recovery (CR2PR), CR is now offered in outpatient programs, with plans to expand to more services and further adapt implementation to improve treatment outcomes. This project will work directly with OMH clinics and clinicians to build upon and improve current CR delivery methods. This project will study the impact of two adaptations. One focuses on increasing the accessibility of the program, which participants report is limited by the requirement of twice weekly attendance. This project will compare the feasibility and acceptability of delivering CR in either two clinic-based sessions (Clinic) or one clinic and one remote session (Hybrid) per week. Qualitative interviews will be conducted with stakeholders to explore the impact of the adaptation. The second adaptation is intended to improve personalization of CR by systematically accounting for individual differences in neurocognitive needs. Drawing upon convergent evidence for tailoring CR based on need for early auditory processing (EAP) training, this project examines whether integrating a measure of EAP into the current baseline assessment facilitates personalization of the menu of restorative computer-based exercises used in CR. Feasibility parameters and qualitative/quantitative data analyses of facilitators and barriers to Hybrid CR delivery will together inform further treatment refinement and the design of a larger effectiveness trial of Clinic versus Hybrid CR. This project will examine how EAP assessment is employed by practitioners to personalize the CR treatment plan and examine if EAP improvement is associated with cognitive outcomes in public practice CR settings. Finally cognitive, functional, and service use outcomes in Hybrid versus Clinic CR will be compared.
An Efficacy and Safety Study of Risperidone Long-Acting Microspheres in Participants With Schizophrenia,...
SchizophreniaSchizophreniform Disorder1 moreThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of long acting injectable microspheres of risperidone in participants with schizophrenia (psychiatric disorder with symptoms of emotional instability, detachment from reality, often with delusions and hallucinations, and withdrawal into the self), schizophreniform or schizoaffective disorders (disorders in which there is a loss of ego boundaries or a gross impairment in reality testing with delusions or prominent hallucinations).
Transcranial Current Stimulation as a Treatment for Auditory Hallucinations in Schizophrenia
SchizophreniaSchizoaffective Disorder1 moreInvestigating the effect of non-invasive transcranial current stimulation on auditory hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia. Normal neuronal activity is perturbed in schizophrenia, so selective targeting of this abnormal activity could serve as a treatment for schizophrenia and alleviate symptoms caused by abnormal neuronal activity, such as auditory hallucinations.
The Effect of N-Acetyl Cysteine on Cortical Erosion in Early Stage Schizophrenia
SchizophreniaPsychotic Disorder NOS2 moreThe 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.
To Rescue Cognition With Valaciclovir
SchizophreniaPsychosisThis is a one-week, randomized, double blind add-on study of valaciclovir versus placebo in 24 clinical patients with Schizophrenia according to DSM IV, currently experiencing psychosis as is defined by the positive items of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANNS) score, being five or higher on one item or four on two items of this scale. Each patient will be randomized to double blind treatment with either valaciclovir or placebo for one week. The main objective is to find a pre- and post-valaciclovir treatment difference in hippocampal inflammation, as measured with positron emission tomography. The secondary objective is to improve cognition by the supposed anti-inflammatory effect on the hippocampus of valaciclovir. This is measured by pre- and post-treatment performance on the PANSS, the attention and memory test. Both the treatment team and the patient will remain blinded during the course of the study. Following the active treatment phase, patients will receive treatment as clinically indicated.