Inter-brain synchrony and social connection in schizophrenia
Official title: Inter-Brain Synchrony as a Neural Mechanism of Social Connection in Schizophrenia
Run by University of California, Los Angeles · NCT07177261 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study will test whether synchronized brain activity between pairs differs for people with schizophrenia compared with people without psychotic disorders, and whether prompting social closeness increases synchrony.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 100 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of California, Los Angeles Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Los Angeles, California) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | November 11, 2025 |
| Main results expected | August 1, 2027 |
| Study ends | November 30, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | August 11, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07177261 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are clinically stable adults with DSM-5 schizophrenia who speak English, are outpatients with no hospitalizations in the prior 3 months and no medication changes in the prior month, or community controls without psychotic or major mood disorders.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with IQ under 70 or developmental disability, significant neurological disease or head injury, recent moderate-to-severe substance use, a positive drug screen, or recent sedative/anxiolytic use are excluded and unlikely to benefit from participation.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Researchers will use EEG hyperscanning to record inter-brain synchrony between pairs of participants while they engage in brief social tasks. The protocol compares clinically stable outpatients with a DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia to community control participants without psychotic or major mood disorders. Social closeness will be manipulated using the Fast Friends and Small Talk tasks and synchrony measured before and after the manipulation. The aim is to clarify neural mechanisms of social dysfunction in schizophrenia and provide a basis for new interventions to improve social functioning.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could identify neural targets for new interventions that improve social connectedness and functioning in schizophrenia.
How similar studies have gone: Prior hyperscanning work in healthy adults has linked inter-brain synchrony to social connection, but this is the first application of that approach in people with schizophrenia.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * sufficient English fluency to comprehend procedures * clinical group will include individuals with a DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia who are clinically stable (outpatients, with no hospitalizations 3 months prior to enrollment and no medication changes 1 month prior to enrollment) * members of the community without a psychotic disorder, schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, or current major mood disorder, nor history of a first-degree relative with a psychotic disorder. Exclusion Criteria: * evidence of IQ \< 70 or developmental disability * history of significant neurological disease, serious head injury, or significant current substance use (moderate or severe substance use disorder in the last 3 months, positive urine toxicology screen on the day of assessment, or sedatives/anxiolytics taken within 12 hours of the assessment)
Where it's running
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University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Eric Reavis, Phd — University of California, Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Eric Reavis, PhD
- Email: ereavis@ucla.edu
- Phone: 310-206-8557
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.