Understanding decision-making in schizophrenia through brain imaging and daily experiences

Promoting Adaptive Decision-Making in Schizophrenia Through Improved Evidence Integration: A Combined Neuroimaging and Experience Sampling Study

This study is testing how attention and thinking strategies affect decision-making in people with schizophrenia while they do tasks in an MRI scanner, to see if it helps them make better choices in everyday life.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 74 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 50 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Piscataway, New Jersey)
• Trial ID: NCT06745479 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This clinical trial aims to investigate how attention and cognitive strategies influence decision-making and brain processes in individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder compared to control subjects. Participants will undergo functional MRI scans while performing decision-making tasks, particularly focusing on gambling scenarios, after being trained in positive thinking strategies. The study seeks to determine the relationship between brain functioning during these tasks and real-world decision-making in daily life. By comparing the brain activity and decision-making behaviors of participants with and without psychiatric conditions, researchers hope to uncover insights into cognitive strategies that may enhance decision-making.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include individuals aged 18-45 with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, as well as matched control subjects without these conditions.

Not a fit: Patients who are outside the age range of 18-45 or those with significant cognitive impairments or other psychiatric disorders may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to improved decision-making strategies for patients with schizophrenia, enhancing their daily functioning and quality of life.

How similar studies have performed: While the specific combination of neuroimaging and experience sampling in this context may be novel, similar studies have shown promise in understanding decision-making processes in psychiatric conditions.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria

The following criteria apply to all subjects:

1. Between ages of 18-50.
2. Have capacity to provide informed consent
3. Fluent communication in English
4. Willingness and ability to follow study requirements, as evidenced by an ability to provide written or virtual informed consent and read, and complete, study procedures.
5. Cognitive ability to understand tasks and estimated IQ greater than 70.

The following criteria apply to subjects with schizophrenia:

1\. Primary diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder

The following additional criteria apply to subjects without schizophrenia:

1\. Inclusion based on subject matched to psychiatric group based on age, sex, race/ethnicity, and education level.

Exclusion Criteria

The following criteria apply to all subjects:

1. Self-disclosed or noticeable intoxication from alcohol or illicit drugs (e.g., arriving to participate in the study drunk/high)
2. Self-disclosure of consistent current substance use other than nicotine, alcohol, or cannabis (e.g. cocaine, heroin).
3. Many-year history of severely disordered substance use other than nicotine/tobacco (determined via interview)
4. Significant physical health disorder, robust physical health conditions, neurological disease/disorder (e.g., Parkinson's, history of strokes).
5. History of traumatic brain injury, head injury resulting in loss of consciousness for an extended duration or with noted neurobehavioral consequences.
6. Electroconvulsive therapy within one month of participation.
7. History of seizures or epilepsy.
8. Currently untreated or unstable psychiatric and medical conditions.
9. Intellectual disability
10. Contra indications for MR imaging (detailed below)

The following additional criteria apply to subjects without schizophrenia:

1. Pervasive history of problematic substance use (other than nicotine, alcohol, and mild-moderate cannabis use) as defined by meeting DSM-5 criteria for a substance use disorder.
2. Diagnosis of, or first-degree relative with, significant psychiatric disorder (e.g., bipolar disorder, psychotic disorder, or Cluster A personality disorder).

Where this trial is running

Piscataway, New Jersey

• Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research — Piscataway, New Jersey, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: David Zald, PhD — Rutgers University
• Study coordinator: Pariya Chanthasensack, BS

Conditions Schizophrenia; Schizoaffective Disorder; Control Subjects; Cognitive Strategy; Emotion Regulation; Psychosis; functional MRI