Visual perception in schizophrenia and related disorders

Visual Perception in Schizophrenia: Assessing Predictive Processing in the Earliest Stages of the Visual Cortical Hierarchy

We will test whether EEG recordings of visual processing can find brain markers of psychosis in adults with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder.

Quick facts

• Phase: NA
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 84 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 65 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: University of Rochester (other)
• Locations: 1 site (Rochester, New York)
• Trial ID: NCT06911931 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This single-site project records EEG while participants complete computer-based visual tasks to look for neural signatures linked to psychosis. Eligible adults (18–65) must have a DSM-5 diagnosis confirmed with the SCID-5 and adequate vision and English fluency to complete the tests. The team uses standard EEG recording and in-house optical correction when needed to measure brain responses to visual stimuli. Collected EEG markers will be compared across diagnostic groups to identify potential objective indicators of psychosis.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults aged 18–65 with a confirmed DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, or bipolar disorder, who have at least 20/32 vision (with correction if needed) and can speak English and consent to the procedures.

Not a fit: People who cannot read or understand task instructions, cannot provide informed consent, have significant cognitive impairment, or have uncorrected vision or language barriers may not be eligible or likely to benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could produce objective EEG markers that help detect or better characterize psychosis and guide future research or treatment approaches.

How similar studies have performed: Previous EEG studies of visual processing in psychosis have produced promising but variable signals, so the approach has supporting evidence but is not yet a proven clinical marker.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* All Subjects
* Aged 18-65
* 20/32 visual acuity or better (using in-house optical correction, if necessary)
* An ability to speak English well enough to complete study assessments and to consent to the study
* Subjects with Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorder
* Meets DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or schizophreniform disorder as confirmed by the Structured Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5).
* Subjects with Bipolar Disorder
* Meets DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder (type I, II, or unspecified) as confirmed by the Structured Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5).

Exclusion Criteria:

* All subjects
* Presence of characteristics that could impair one's ability to comprehend the nature of the study, provide informed consent, or understand the assessment questions, including the following:

  * Subject cannot read and understand the instructions well enough to complete the tasks or cannot provide informed consent.
  * Intellectual impairment (WRAT-5 score \< 70) (at the discretion of experimenter);
  * Actively intoxicated, as shown via patient self-report or staff report;
  * Substance use disorder in the past 3 months;
  * Subject considered high risk for suicidal acts (i.e., active suicidal ideation as determined by clinical interview OR any suicide attempt in 30 days prior to screening);
  * Subject violence (involving severe/lethal means or violence occurring in prior 6 months) or extreme agitation.
  * Being in a current manic state
  * Head injury with loss of consciousness greater than 10 minutes (at the discretion of the experimenter).
  * Subject has had electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the past 8 weeks;
  * Diagnosed with a neurological condition (tumor, stroke, brain injury) or neurological disorder, including seizure disorders. Diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder (phone screen or medical records)
  * Lazy eye or squint or other known ocular pathology
* Healthy Control Subjects
* Any lifetime psychotic disorder or history of psychiatric hospitalization (self disclosure);
* Daily antidepressant, mood stabilizer or antipsychotic medication use in the last 6 months, or benzodiazepine use during the prior 2 days (self-disclosure); iii. First-degree relative(s) with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (based on subject self-report) or bipolar disorder.
* Case-match Control Non-ill Subjects
* Any lifetime psychotic disorder (as assessed by SCID/or SSD);
* Recurrent depressive episodes or being in a current depressive episode (as assessed by SCID/or SSD)
* Persistent threshold psychotic symptoms
* History of psychiatric hospitalization;
* Daily antidepressant, mood stabilizer or antipsychotic medication use in the last 6 months, or benzodiazepine use during the prior 2 days
* First-degree relative(s) with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (based on subject self-report) or bipolar disorder.
* Bipolar Subjects
* Persistent threshold psychotic symptoms

Where this trial is running

Rochester, New York

• University of Rochester — Rochester, New York, United States (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Edmund Lalor, PhD

Conditions: Schizophrenia Disorders, Bipolar Disorder, Schizo Affective Disorder