Memantine Augmentation of Targeted Cognitive Training in Schizophrenia

• Status: Recruiting
• Trial end date: 2023-12-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Treatment of schizophrenia currently includes antipsychotic medications and cognitive therapies which improve some symptoms, but do not sufficiently restore cognitive functioning or reduce psychosocial disability. We hypothesize that medications that specifically target sensory information processing deficits, rather than psychotic symptoms per se, will significantly enhance the benefits of a sensory-based targeted cognitive training (TCT) intervention in patients with schizophrenia. We will complete a randomized, double-blind clinical trial to: 1) confirm that the drug memantine augments TCT learning; 2) determine whether memantine enhances the clinical benefits from a full 30 session course of TCT vs. TCT plus placebo in antipsychotic- medicated schizophrenia patients, and 3) determine if memantine's enhancement of TCT is most effective in biomarker-defined subgroups of patients.

• Phase: Phase 2/Phase 3
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of California, San Diego
• Treatments: Memantine

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, depressed type

• Written informed consent to participate in the study

• Age 18-55

• Absence of dementia or mental retardation

• Urine toxicology negative for recreational drugs

• Fluent and literate in English

Exclusion Criteria:

• Meets DSM-IV criteria for current substance abuse or dependence and has been substance abstinent for less than 30 days

• A history of traumatic brain injury

• Auditory or visual impairments severe enough to prevent study participation

• Under conservatorship (determined by Anasazi)

• Pregnancy