Changes in social thinking and understanding in adults with schizophrenia

Progression of Social Cognitive Deficits in Mid- and Late-Life Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

NIH-funded research Ohio State University · NIH-11258982

This project looks at how social understanding and related brain signals change with age in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders to help guide better care.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionOhio State University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-11258982 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be asked to complete interviews, questionnaires, and tasks that measure how you understand others, along with tests of thinking and daily functioning. About 192 people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders aged 35–75 will be enrolled, plus 48 younger adults (18–34) with early psychosis and 120 healthy people of similar ages for comparison. Most participants (about 75%) will also do task-based EEG where a cap records brain activity during social thinking tasks. The researchers aim to link changes in social skills to age and brain signals so future treatments can be more targeted.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders aged 35–75, with younger early-psychosis adults (18–34) and age-matched healthy volunteers included for comparison.

Not a fit: People without a schizophrenia-spectrum diagnosis or those unable to complete cognitive testing or EEG procedures (for example, due to severe movement disorders or inability to consent) may not directly benefit from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help clinicians identify social thinking problems earlier and design brain-targeted treatments for middle-aged and older adults with schizophrenia.

How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have documented social cognitive problems in schizophrenia and some EEG markers of social processing, but combining a large, age-spanning clinical sample with task EEG is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

Columbus, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.