Pharmacologic Augmentation of Targeted Cognitive Training in Schizophrenia

• Status: Recruiting
• Trial end date: 2023-06-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

These studies look to conduct efficient pilot testing of a novel intervention strategy for chronic psychotic disorders - Pharmacologic Augmentation of Cognitive Therapy (PACT) - via an experimental medicine approach. Antipsychotics are the major therapeutic tool for chronic psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia, but do not significantly alter their course or real-life impact. Specific cognitive therapies achieve modest symptom reduction and improved function and cognition in psychosis patients, including "bottom-up" sensory-based targeted cognitive training (TCT). While benefits of TCT are evident at the group level, almost half of all patients demonstrate little or no cognitive gains after 30-40 hours (h) of TCT. For patients and clinicians, the costs and logistical complexities associated with these time- and resource-intensive interventions can be prohibitive. We propose and will test a novel "augmentation strategy" for using medications to specifically enhance the benefits of TCT in schizophrenia.

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

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of California, San Diego

Criteria

Inclusion criteria include:

• 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 (needed for completion of WIN and QuickSIN)

Exclusion criteria include:

• 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