Active clinical trials for "Schizophrenia"

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a low-cost, joint consumer/counselor-led, health education and support intervention that will foster self-care and recovery among adults with serious mental illness. Results from the study will indicate how well the workbook and the overall program were received by individuals with serious mental illness, and whether participating in the program appeared to improve recovery and functioning.

The purpose of the study is to monitor the general functional changes among patients with schizophrenia, treated with atypical antipsychotics dosed once daily for a period of 6 months.The primary study objective is to compare general functioning of patients with schizophrenia treated with Seroquel SR between baseline and the last study visit. The secondary study objectives are to compare general functioning of patients with schizophrenia treated with other atypical antipsychotic medicinal products administered once daily between baseline and the last study visit, monitoring of other indicators of clinical improvement, evaluation of patient compliance and assessment of occurrence of adverse effects

The purpose of this study is to detect genetic associations for the development of schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar illness (BP) by comparing Veterans with these diseases to "psychiatrically healthy" Veterans from Veterans Health Administration medical centers. In addition, the genetic basis for functional capacity and disability in Veterans affected with SZ and BP will be assessed, as will genetic predictors of suicidality and tardive dyskinesia. Finally, we will also establish a repository which allows for future genomic studies related to SZ, BP, and related disorders or sequelae.

The investigators aim is to understand the cognitive mechanisms that contribute to the emergence of delusions of control (the belief that one's own actions or thoughts are controlled by an external force). These symptoms are mainly encountered in patients with schizophrenia, and the investigators will distinguish patients with schizophrenia with or without this symptom together with patients with bipolar disorder. Based on the investigators previous studies, this project will help to determine the role of two elementary mechanisms in the ability to feel in control of voluntary actions: (1) the processing of the sensory consequences of action, and (2) the ability to build mental representations for sequenced actions.

This study is a non-interventional web based registry designed to assess demographic, treatment and outcomes data in patients receiving treatment with long-acting injectable risperidone. One year retrospective data and 2 year prospective data will be collected.

Increasing evidence suggests modulating effects of cannabinoids on time of onset, severity, and outcome of schizophrenia. Efforts to discover the underlying pathomechanism have led to the assumption of gene x environment interactions including premorbid genetical vulnerability and worsening effects of continuing cannabis use. For a main characteristic of psychoactive delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is its affinity to biological membranes, which are known to be disturbed in schizophrenia patients and genetic high-risk populations. Here we assess an hypothesised association between premorbid lipid disturbance and metabolic effects of external cannabinoids in schizophrenia. Intensity of niacin (methylnicotinate) skin flushing, indicating disturbed prostaglandin-mediated processes, is used as peripheral marker of lipid-arachidonic acid pathways and investigated in cannabis consuming and non-consuming schizophrenia patients and in healthy controls. Methylnicotinate is applied in three concentrations onto the forearm skin. Flush response is assessed in three minute intervals over 15 min using optical reflection spectroscopy.

Schizophrenia is one of the most severe mental illnesses. The antipsychotic drugs, introduced in early 1950s, have revolutionized the treatment of schizophrenia. About 2 to 4 times as many patients relapse when treated with a placebo as do those treated with antipsychotic drugs. For these medications to be maximally beneficial, they must have an acceptable side effect profile and be taken as prescribed. One untoward effect of many antipsychotic drugs is weight gain. The extent of weight gain apparently varies by drug, which may be because of drugs'differing degrees of action on serotonergic, dopaminergic, histaminergic, and other neurotransmitter systems. Obesity is a threat to health and longevity. Weight gain may also cause patients taking antipsychotic medication to discontinue their medication, which may predispose them to relapse. The pattern of weight gain and metabolic disturbance may vary between the different antipsychotic agents. The underlying mechanism and treatment of these adverse metabolic effects remain unclear. This study will recruit 60 schizophrenic patients during. The patients received monotherapy with atypical antipsychotics (olanzapine, quetiapine, or risperidone). The assessment of metabolic profile will be monitored at baseline, week 2, week 4, and week 8. The measurements include anthropometrical parameters, body composition, glucose level, insulin level, lipid profile, and leptin level. Intra-venous glucose tolerance test will be used to assess the insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity. This proposal broadly aims to discover the underlying mechanism of antipsychotics induced metabolic disturbance and develop efficient treatment to correct it.

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is highly prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and is a major risk factor of type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and early death. Genetic factors, antipsychotic medication, sleeping disturbances and unhealthy lifestyle are possible causes of developing metabolic syndrome. Several studies have investigated the metabolic side-effects of antipsychotic medication. However it is still unanswered how unhealthy lifestyle, comprising physical inactivity, smoking, unhealthy dieting, and sleeping disturbances adds to the metabolic risk of patients with schizophrenia. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence and development of MetS in first-episode patients with schizophrenia and 1 year after onset of treatment. The study's main hypothesis is that physical inactivity, regardless of medication, is an independent risk factor for metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia. In comparison inpatients with major depression and healthy controls, both matched on gender, age and level of education will be included in the study. It is anticipated that the study's results will provide new knowledge about the risk of developing metabolic syndrome in first-episode schizophrenia and how different risk factors contribute to this.

Hyperprolactinaemia is a common side effect of some antipsychotics (APS), including some atypicals. Clinical consequences of hyperprolactinaemia are broad including amenorrhea, galactorrhea, tender breasts, gynecomastia and sexual dysfunction. Less known but also present is the increased cardiovascular risk, specially in women, disorders of osteoporotic type and a potential increased risk of breast and prostate cancer. Despite this growing evidence, there are no consistent published data in order to adopt evidence-based decisions that may be beneficial for the patient. This naturalistic observational 6 months follow-up study on patients with APS-induced hyperprolactinemia aims to obtain more information about the switching approach in cases of hyperprolactinemia secondary to APS and to better establish the role of switching to quetiapine (APS not related with the increase prolactin levels) in this problem.

This study aims at investigating the neuroplastic potential and the possible factors affecting rehabilitation in chronic schizophrenia patients on stable medication, by investigating the cumulative pattern of serum BDNF representing the neuroplasticity in the brain, through quantitative stimulus such as rTMS.