Active clinical trials for "Schizophrenia"

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of seroquel in the treatment of patients with acute schizophrenia compared with risperidone by evaluating the change of PANSS total score from the baseline to week 6.

This study is being conducted to determine the safety and effect on cognitive function of two different doses of an investigational medication, EVP-6124, in individuals with schizophrenia who are on chronic stable atypical anti-psychotic therapy. In addition, behavioral and psychotic symptoms will be evaluated.

There is some evidence that anti-inflammatory treatment may have beneficial effects in schizophrenia and major depression. Cox-2 inhibitors have been tested in preliminary clinical trials for schizophrenia and depression, showing favourable effects compared to placebo (Muller and Schwarz et al 2009). Statins were introduced as cholesterol-lowering agents but have found much wider usage. They are anti-inflammatory agents and thus similar to the Cox-2 inhibitors, which have shown some ability as adjuncts to improve the symptoms of schizophrenia in preliminary studies. The statins are also known to decrease C-reactive protein (CRP), which has been shown in an SMRI-funded study to be elevated in a study of individuals with schizophrenia. Fan et al (2007) demonstrated in a small study in patients with schizophrenia that higher than normal levels of CRP (>0.50 mg/dl) was associated with marked negative symptoms and higher total PANSS scores. Ondansetron is a serotonin (5-HT3) receptor antagonist that is generic and widely used to prevent nausea and vomiting in patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer. GSK did a small study on it as an antipsychotic in the 1980s. Since then, several small studies have suggested that it is effective as an adjunct drug in improving the symptoms of schizophrenia. Statins are widely used in schizophrenia sufferers, particularly those taking second generation antipsychotics, to treat hypercholesterolemia. Both drugs are well tolerated and their side effect profiles well understood. We propose to conduct a feasibility study in patients with chronic schizophrenia to explore the adjunct use of simvastatin and ondansetron on positive, negative and general psychopathology in comparisons to treatment as usual (TAU) over a 12 week period.

The project is designed to address the following two primary aims: To determine whether adjunctive oxytocin is superior to placebo for the treatment of persistent negative symptoms, as measured by the SANS total score, in people with schizophrenia. To determine whether adjunctive Galantamine is superior to placebo for the treatment of cognitive impairments, as measured by improvement on a composite neurocognitive score in people with schizophrenia. The investigators will also address the following secondary aims: To determine whether people with schizophrenia treated with adjunctive oxytocin, compared to placebo, will show greater improvement on markers of negative symptom liability including: social affiliation, facial affect recognition, olfactory discrimination, initiation of smooth pursuit and latency of internally-driven saccades. To determine whether people with schizophrenia treated with adjunctive Galantamine, compared to placebo, will show greater improvement on markers of cognitive impairment liability including: predictive pursuit, P50 sensory gating and visual-spatial working memory. The investigators will address the following exploratory aims: To determine whether changes in markers of negative symptom liability are correlated with changes in SANS total score. To determine whether changes in markers of cognitive impairment liability are correlated with changes in the composite neurocognitive score. To determine the response to oxytocin of all cognition domains assessed by the MATRICS battery, and to determine the response to Galantamine of all cognition domains assessed by the MATRICS, which are not included in the primary neurocognitive outcome score. To determine whether there is a differential response of oxytocin and Galantamine on the SANS total score, composite neurocognitive score, and with the phenotypic measures of negative symptom and cognitive impairment liability. To determine whether oxytocin and Galantamine are associated with: adverse effects on positive or depressive symptoms; adverse effects on motor symptoms; adverse effects on laboratory and EKG measures; increased occurrence of side effects; social interest that is independent of sexual desire.

The purpose of this study is to develop a treatment manual for mindfulness meditation to be taught in a group format to individuals with schizophrenia who are engaged in vocational rehabilitation. This study will also determine whether mindfulness meditation is beneficial in terms of improving work function by reducing distressing emotional states and thinking patterns.

This will be a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study designed to assess the tolerability, safety, and efficacy of OPC-34712 (0.25 to 6.0 mg) for the treatment of adult subjects hospitalized with an acute relapse of schizophrenia. Aripiprazole (10 to 20 mg) is included as a positive control to confirm the assay sensitivity of the study. A total of approximately 563 subjects will be screened at an estimated 75 sites worldwide in order to obtain approximately 450 randomized subjects.

The aim of this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is to establish the clinical and cost effectiveness of an SSRI antidepressant, citalopram, in the management of persistent negative symptoms of schizophrenia over a year.

The main aim of the trial is to study whether a change of medication in non-responders to a two-weeks antipsychotic drug trial is more effective than continued treatment with the same antipsychotic. Hypothesis: Non-responders who are switched at 2 weeks to another antipsychotic are more frequently in symptomatic remission at week 8 than non-responders who stay on the same antipsychotic

This R01 grant describes a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of nicotine nasal spray (NNS) as an aid for smoking cessation in 60 individuals with schizophrenia. The objectives of this study are to determine the efficacy of NNS with behavioral intervention for smoking cessation in smokers with schizophrenia. It is hypothesized that the quit rate of subjects who receive NNS and behavioral intervention will be significantly greater than the quit rate of the control group who will receive the placebo spray plus same behavioral intervention. Quit rate is defined as the proportion of individuals who self report no tobacco use during weeks 5 through 8 confirmed by exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) less than 10 parts per million during these 4 weeks. The investigators will also assess abstinence rates at Study Weeks 12 and 20 on the NNS and at weeks 26 and 52 after the medication has been stopped. Since studies of this group suggest high relapse rates when treatments are discontinued (Evins et al., 2005; George et al., 2000; George et al., 2002a), the investigators will continue NNS treatment for a total of 20 weeks.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether trans Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is effective in the treatment of auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia.