Active clinical trials for "Psychotic Disorders"

There is compelling evidence that longer duration of untreated psychosis independently predicts negative outcomes. The proposal aims to explore whether targeted and proactive online outreach through search engine advertisements, coupled with engaging, informative, and interactive online resources, can effectively reduce the duration of untreated psychosis and facilitate earlier treatment initiation in New York State. Results from this initiative will be critical to informing the subsequent design and conduct of larger, focused, and proactive digital media campaigns targeting patient with FEP and their caregivers online, intended to accelerate linkage to care and reduce the duration of untreated psychosis throughout the U.S.

Psychosis is a heterogeneous disorder and present treatment only works for a limited number of patients. In order to identify new therapeutic targets, this study will longitudinally characterize the underlying pathologies in those with poor treatment response using complimentary brain imaging modalities.

Background: Some illnesses, such as schizophrenia, have effects on brain cells called dopamine receptors, which are required for normal brain function. People with schizophrenia have difficulty thinking and experience hallucinations and delusions. Medications that change brain dopamine receptors can decrease these hallucinations and delusions. The cause of schizophrenia and its association with brain dopamine receptors is not known but may be clarified by studying dopamine receptors in people who have dopamine disorders (such as schizophrenia) and those who do not. Researchers are interested in studying the dopamine system to gain a better idea of how dopamine disorders develop, which may lead to better medical care for people with schizophrenia. Objectives: - To study the amount and distribution of two types of dopamine receptors. Eligibility: Individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 who have schizophrenia. Healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 90. Design: Participants will undergo a full screening, with physical and psychological history, a neurological examination, and blood and urine samples. Participants will have a blood flow map of the brain recorded with a positron emission tomography (PET) brain scan. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan will also be performed to determine brain anatomy. To study the amount and distribution of dopamine receptors in the brain, participants will receive a small amount of a radioactive chemical in the vein, followed by a PET scan. The procedure will be performed twice in two separate sessions, once for [18F]fallypride and once for [11C]NNC-112.

Background: Psychotic disorders which the investigators have operationally defined as any of schizophrenia or schizophrenia spectrum disorder, brief psychotic episode, or bipolar affective disorders are severe forms of mental illness that contribute to significant morbidity and mortality primarily due to high rates of relapse. Delivering psycho-education messages about disease etiology, their signs and symptoms, as well as the benefits of adhering to treatment have been shown to reduce relapse among individuals with psychoses in high income countries. However, little has been done to examine the efficacy of this intervention in low resourced settings like Uganda. Objective: The study objective is to examine the efficacy of psycho-education on symptom severity, stigma and retention in care. Methods: The Investigators will recruit 80 adult patients (aged ≥18 years) who have been diagnosed with a First Episode Psychosis (FEP) and received antipsychotic medication at Butabika Hospital. Participants should be ready for discharge and reside within a 21km radius from Kampala city. The investigators will use a simple random technique to randomize the 80 participants to either receive 6 sessions of psycho-education from village health team members (VHTs) with a family member (n=40) or routine care (n=40). The investigators will collect symptom severity, stigma and retention in care data over 24 weeks. Data analysis plans: The investigators will conduct an intention to treat analysis and compare the groups at baseline, weeks 4, 12 and 24. We will assess the effects of the intervention on symptom severity. The investigators will assess for potential confounders, mediators and effect modifiers using generalized linear estimates. Between-subject analysis at week 24 will be used to assess if there is a significant difference in the mean severity scores between the 2 arms. Conclusion: Findings from this research will throw more light with regards to the preliminary efficacy of the use of psycho-education for individuals with psychosis.

The proposed research project aims to develop and test a mobile health intervention designed to improve caregivers' illness knowledge and caregiving skills through interactive cognitive-behavioral modules, and through these improvements, reduce distress, improve coping, improve family communication, increase caregiver treatment facilitation and reduce duration of untreated psychosis. This clinical trial will involve a remote pilot randomized controlled trial comparing this new intervention to existing online caregiving support resources. Analyses will determine whether this approach is acceptable and feasible, as well as explore its effectiveness and impact on key components of the cognitive model of caregiving.

Five collaborating sites in France will study the broad spectrum of schizophrenia in children and adolescents. Patients will be studied with diagnostic interviews, developmental histories, dimensional clinical ratings, comprehensive cognitive assessments, neuroimaging and DNA (copy number variant) analyses (in families and patients who agree), and follow-up of course of illness, cognitive status and treatment response to specific antipsychotic drugs. The goal of the study is to test a prior hypothesis about clinical subgroups in this population and to test whether these subgroups predict antipsychotic medication response.

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate an association between a biological pattern of dysregulation of the HPA axis and mental disorders in children exposed to early life stress.

It is currently unknown what factors predict response to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp) or Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CR) among individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, thus the current trial will examine predictors of response to determine who requires the combined intervention and who might respond sufficiently to either monotherapy.

Veterans with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) struggle with social integration - participation in work, housing, and citizenship - due to symptoms, stigma, and psychosocial challenges. Despite considerable VA efforts to provide mental health care to Veterans with SMI, programs that promote social integration are lacking. Veterans with SMI are at especially high risk for poor social integration and suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This project addresses this need with a group-based, peer specialist (PS) co-facilitated psychosocial intervention for Veterans with SMI, called "Veteran Voices and Visions" (VVV). VVV targets Veterans with SMI who experience psychosis, a group particularly in need of support with social integration. Virtual VVV groups are co-led by VA mental health clinicians (MHCs) and PSs via online video conference. The approach facilitates group cohesion around and normalization of the common psychotic symptoms of SMI: hallucinations, delusions, and social isolation. This intervention has the potential to create and foster a supportive community that improves the social integration of participants by reducing their distress and self-stigma, and increasing self-efficacy.

The purpose of this study is to examine state representation in individuals aged 15-40 who have been diagnosed with a psychotic illness, as well as young adults who do not have a psychiatric diagnosis. State Representation is our ability to process information about our surroundings. The investigators will complete a clinical trial examining two paradigms of cognitive training.