Effects of Methylphenidate on Brain and Cognition in 22q11 Deletion Syndrome
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2022-09-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a neurogenetic condition associated with a
high risk of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia spectrum disorders. This
population is characterized by a specific neurocognitive profile and atypical brain
development. Methylphenidate is a psychostimulant used in the treatment of attention deficit
with/without hyperactivity (ADHD). Although ADHD is one of the most important co-morbidities
in 22q11DS, affecting 35-45% of patients, to date only two studies have focused on
quantifying the efficacy of this treatment in this population. The objective of this study is
to quantify the improvement in cognitive performance as well as the differences in brain
connectivity associated with the methylphenidate molecule in a population at risk of
cognitive impairment and the development of schizophrenia.