Systematic Evaluation of Antiviral Medication in Schizophrenia

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2016-09-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The purpose of this study is to examine whether antiviral medication will help improve psychotic symptoms and cognition in individuals early in the course of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who are exposed to herpes simplex virus, type 1 (HSV 1), a virus that causes commonly occurring and recurrent cold sores.

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

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Konasale Prasad; University of Pittsburgh
• Collaborators: Stanley Medical Research Institute; Wayne State University
• Treatments: Antipsychotic Agents; Valacyclovir

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Both genders between the ages of 18-50 years

• Schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder as defined in DSM-IV

• Duration of illness 10 years or less

• On a stable dose of an antipsychotic medication for at least a month

• Should score 4 or more on at least one of the subscales of PANSS

• Positive for HSV1

• Written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Substance abuse in the last month/dependence 6 months prior to the study

• History of, or current medical/neurological illnesses which affects CNS function e.g., epilepsy, head injury with prolonged loss of consciousness

• Pregnancy

• History of immune disorders, HIV infection or currently receiving immunosuppressants

• Subjects on regular antiviral therapy

• History of hypersensitivity to Valacyclovir

• Mental retardation as defined in DSM-IV