Active clinical trials for "Psychotic Disorders"

In this study, the investigators will be examining the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on memory deficits in individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Half of the study participants will be chosen by chance to receive active rTMS stimulation while half will be chosen by chance to receive sham rTMS. Sham rTMS will feel the same as active rTMS only there will be no direct brain stimulation. This is necessary to ensure that active rTMS is efficacious in the enhancement of memory in individuals with schizophrenia. Based on results from a recently published pilot study, the investigators propose that active rTMS treatment will result in a significant improvement in working memory performance compared to sham rTMS treatment.

A significant proportion of people with schizophrenia are characterized by impaired ability to socially engage with others, which may reflect social aversion secondary to defeatist beliefs; decreased motivation for social interactions; and/or impairment in the normal reinforcement value of social interactions. These impairments in social function have been shown to be associated with social skill deficits; and decreased ability to identify and remember emotional facial expressions and empathize with the emotional status of others. Unfortunately, pharmacological interventions have limited benefits for impaired social function, whereas psychosocial interventions provide only partial benefit for this critical aspect of the illness. The development of an effective intervention for functional outcomes remains a central therapeutic challenge. Cognitive Behavioral Social Skills Training (CBSST) uses corrective feedback and reinforcement provided by successful interactions to challenge and reduce defeatist performance beliefs that contribute to low drive and interfere with social functioning. CBSST has been shown to have modest effects on social function in people with schizophrenia. Oxytocin plays a critical role in the regulation of normal social affiliative behavior; it is hypothesized to enhance social affiliation through the reduction of anxiety or social risk aversion; the enhancement of motivation for prosocial approach behavior; and/or increased modulation of the salience and processing of social cues. People with schizophrenia have decreased oxytocin levels, which are associated with an impaired ability to identify facial emotions and decreased prosocial behaviors. The study will be comprised of three phases: 1) 2-week Evaluation Phase; 2) 24-week Double-blind Treatment Phase; and 3) 3-month Follow-up Phase.

This clinical trial is designed to evaluate different dosages of risperidone ISM, a new long-acting injectable form.

Evidence-based clinical treatments for common mental disorders, such as CBT and/or pharmacotherapy, have resulted in significant and sustained improvement in clinical symptoms. However, the individual-focused treatments rarely have sickness absence as a target of intervention or evaluate work-related outcomes, such as return to work. A recent review of the evidence for managing stress at work showed that individual interventions give effects on mental health measures but did not impact absenteeism at work. The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of two different rehabilitation models, one based on psychotherapy and the other on workplace-interventions, when these are offered as standalone interventions and in combination for patients with adjustment, anxiety and depressive disorders.

The present study aims to : compare different approaches (high intensity vs. low intensity) to training community providers (those who routinely treat young patients with bipolar disorder, psychosis, or sub-threshold high-risk conditions) on the implementation of family-focused treatment (FFT); assess the cost of FFT training and implementation support; and determine whether these different forms of clinician training are associated with different outcomes over 1 year among patients with early-onset mood and psychotic disorders.

This 2-arm clinical trial piloted a mobile Self-Management of Schizophrenia (SOS) system that administers interventions targeting persistent symptoms of psychosis, social dysfunction, and medication adherence. Researchers compared an intervention arm using the SOS system and an arm receiving treatment as usual on the outcomes of change in severity of psychotic symptoms and change in social functioning.

This study is a placebo-controlled 12 week trial of DCS augmentation of once-weekly CBT sessions in 60 schizophrenia subjects with antipsychotic-resistant delusions. In addition to testing efficacy, this trial will characterize DCS effects in terms of time course and persistence of response and will examine DCS effects on memory consolidation and cognitive flexibility as possible mediators of DCS enhancement of CBT for delusions.

Randomized, double-blind clinical trial of tocilizumab vs. placebo as add-on treatment for residual positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia. The primary study hypothesis is that individuals receiving tocilizumab will show greater improvements in their PANSS total scores than those taking placebo.

Recent research has suggested that mindfulness-based interventions for psychosis may be effective in reducing the negative symptoms of schizophrenia (e.g., social withdrawal, lack of motivation) and the distress associated with psychotic symptoms (e.g., hearing voices) and could lead to improvements in functioning and quality of life. However these findings are based on small studies that largely consist of patients with chronic illness. Little is yet known about the use of mindfulness interventions for young people recovering from their first episode of psychosis. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the Mindfulness Ambassador Council (MAC), a 12-week facilitated group intervention promoting mindfulness skills and the development of emotional and social competencies, is an effective, feasible, and acceptable means of treating youth in the early stages of psychotic illnesses. Although the current study is hypothesis generating in nature, based on previous investigations of Mindfulness Based Interventions for psychoses (Chadwick, 2014), we are expecting that participating in the MAC intervention will result in improvements in clinical, cognitive, functional, and health service utilization parameters. Additionally, we expect that the MAC intervention will prove to be acceptable to participants and a feasible intervention for early psychotic disorders.

Prior research has shown that people with psychotic illnesses, like schizophrenia, who make sense of and meaningfully integrate their psychotic experiences into their life story are more likely to recover from their illness. This process of developing a coherent narrative seems especially relevant for young people who are experiencing their first episode of psychosis. There is a need for interventions that can help facilitate the formation of recovery-oriented narratives, particularly in the early stage of illness. Participatory video is a group process that involves the facilitated creation of short documentary-style videos in which individuals are supported to reflect on and tell their personal stories. Although it has been used to foster self-identity, self-empowerment and "give voice" to a variety of marginalized and stigmatized populations, its use and evaluation as a clinical intervention has been limited. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the novel use of participatory video facilitate narrative development and promote recovery for individuals with early psychosis is an effective, feasible, and acceptable means of treating youth in the early stages of psychotic illnesses. Although the current study is hypothesis generating in nature, the investigators are expecting that participating in the Participatory Video intervention will result in improvements in narrative development, symptoms, self-perceived recovery, self-esteem, self-stigma, social functioning and hope. Additionally, the investigators expect that Participatory Video intervention will prove to be acceptable to participants and a feasible intervention for early psychotic disorders.