Sustained Attention Abilities in Schizophrenia (NCT02388607) | Clinical Trial Compass
UnknownNot Applicable
Sustained Attention Abilities in Schizophrenia
France80 participantsStarted 2015-03
Plain-language summary
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric pathology, which concerns around 1% of adult population. It is characterized by clinical symptoms combining positive and negative symptoms and thinking disorganization. Schizophrenia is also characterized by cognitive deficits, likely to play an important part in adaptation of these patients in their every-day life, and to affect their clinical symptomatology. Among them, there are deficits in sustained attention which are associated with a difficulty for these patients to maintain efficiently their cognitive activity on a source of stimulation or task. This basic attentional process is fundamental for the efficiency of the overall of cognitive processes, and so for all behaviors directed on an aim. The question of whether or not patients with schizophrenia have difficulty sustaining attention is of high relevance, in the sense that it could undermine performance on nearly any task and so provide a compelling causal explanation of many other impairments observed in these patients. Yet it has not been conclusively answered in over four decades of research. Consequently, the main objective of the protocol is to evaluate sustained attention abilities in schizophrenic patients and to better understand the specific functioning of cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying these abilities (attentional resources and cognitive control mechanisms).
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 60 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* age between 18 and 60 years (include)
* men or women volunteers, hospitalized or not
* subject affiliated to an health insurance
* subject having signed an informed consent (for patients):
* presence of DSM-IV TR criteria for schizophrenia (American Psychiatric Association, 1994)
Exclusion criteria
* a major somatic disorder or non stabilized
* medical history likely to affect cerebral anatomy or to be linked to an abnormality (neonatal distress, neurochirurgical intervention, neurological disorders, stroke attack)
* any disorders involved in the use of a psycho-active substance (as defined by the DSM-IV)
* sensory disabling impairments, and specifically visual acuity \< 8
* general anaesthesia during the 3 months before the study
* pregnancy (declared by the subject)
* persons in an emergency situation
* persons deprived in any way of their liberty
* persons in period of exclusion in an other protocol
* use of psychotropic substance during the 3 weeks before the study
* use of benzodiazepines
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Assess sustained attention span of patients with schizophrenia