Anticholinergic medicine effects on brain and thinking in mid-to-late-life schizophrenia
Neural Mechanisms of Anticholinergic Burden in Mid- to Late-Life Schizophrenia Spectrum Illness
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · NIH-11164608
This project looks at how medicines that block acetylcholine affect brain structure, memory, thinking, and daily functioning in middle-aged and older adults with schizophrenia.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11164608 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You may be asked to join if you are a middle- to late-life adult with a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis and take anticholinergic medicines. We will collect medication histories, give cognitive and daily-functioning tests, and do brain scans to measure gray matter and brain connectivity in regions linked to thinking and memory. The team will compare people with higher versus lower anticholinergic burden and may try reducing (deprescribing) anticholinergic medicines for some participants to see if memory and quality of life improve. The work connects medication use, brain changes, and day-to-day abilities to help guide safer prescribing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are middle-aged or older adults with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder who are taking anticholinergic medications (for example, benztropine or trihexyphenidyl) and are willing to have brain scans and medication reviews.
Not a fit: People without a schizophrenia diagnosis, much younger adults, or those not taking anticholinergic medicines are unlikely to be eligible or directly helped by this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help reduce harmful anticholinergic medications and improve memory, thinking, and daily functioning for older adults with schizophrenia.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier pilot work from this group and others showed that lowering anticholinergic burden can improve verbal memory and quality of life, but tying those benefits to specific brain circuitry is a newer effort.
Where this research is happening
PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH — PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: SARPAL, DEEPAK K — UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- Study coordinator: SARPAL, DEEPAK K
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.