Understanding how social thinking, brain signals, and iron biology change with age in schizophrenia

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This longitudinal observational study follows two groups—people with schizophrenia and healthy controls—over 24 months with assessments at baseline, 12 months, and 24 months. Participants complete behavioral tasks and questionnaires about social understanding and emotion regulation, and biological samples are collected to explore brain and biochemical factors. For participants with schizophrenia, symptom severity is also tracked. The study uses repeated measures to observe how social cognition, brain microstructure, and iron-related biology may evolve with age in schizophrenia. MRI-safe and language requirements ensure participants can complete procedures across all visits.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion criteria (all participants):

age 18-70 years at baseline; normal or corrected-to-normal vision; sufficient hearing; fluency in German; willingness and ability to understand and comply with study procedures. Participants must either be healthy adults without any mental health disorder (HC) or have a confirmed DSM-5 diagnosis of SZ.

Inclusion criteria (SZ only):

clinical stability at assessment, defined as no clinically significant change in psychopathological symptoms and no modification of pharmacotherapy for at least three months prior to study entry, as confirmed by the treating psychiatrist; full remission is not required.

Exclusion criteria (all participants):

incapacity to consent; current or lifetime history of brain surgery or epilepsy; MRI contraindications (unremovable metal parts in the upper body, active implants, claustrophobia); current or past substance abuse disorder (excluding caffeine and nicotine); pregnancy.

Exclusion criteria (HC only):

any current or lifetime Axis I psychiatric disorder; first-degree relative with an Axis I disorder; any neurological disorder or other mental health condition; current or past use of psychotropic medication.

Additional Eligibility Criteria for Cycle-Timed Neuroimaging:

To minimize hormonal confounding of emotion-regulation-related neural measures, menstruating female participants will be scanned in the early follicular phase (cycle days 1-6), requiring regular menstrual cycles (21-35 days) and a negative pregnancy test at relevant visits.

Use of hormonal contraception will be recorded.

Where it's running

• Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Medical Psychology; Medical University of Innsbruck
  Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria Recruiting

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Christopher Schaar, M.Sc.
• Email: christopher.schaar@i-med.ac.at
• Phone: 0043 512 9003 81298

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.