NCT02478827

A Trial of Cognitive Training in Schizophrenia

Completed NA Last updated 10 October 2018

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Cognitive training in Schizophrenia in 83 participants. Completed in 31 August 2017.

Timeline

1 March 2016

Primary endpoint
31 August 2017

31 August 2017

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	University of Calgary
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	double
Primary purpose	supportive care
Enrollment	83
Start date	1 March 2016
Primary completion	31 August 2017
Estimated completion	31 August 2017
Sites	3 locations across Canada

Drugs / interventions tested

• Cognitive training

Conditions studied

• Schizophrenia — all drugs for Schizophrenia →

Sponsor

University of Calgary

Who can join

Adults 18 to 65, any sex, with Schizophrenia. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

Schizophrenia is associated with a wide range of symptoms impacting a number of different domains, including cognitive impairment. Given the array of cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia and their relationship to daily functioning, numerous research groups have examined the impact of cognitive remediation on many aspects of cognition. However, it is currently unclear as to which domains of cognition should be targeted to produce the most widespread and durable benefits for schizophrenia patients. It may be the case that targeting lower-level cognitive processes that are important for higher-level and more complex aspects of cognition may produce the most widespread benefits in cognition and everyday functioning. Relatively few studies have examined the effects of working memory or processing speed training on individuals with schizophrenia, as most studies examine broad-based remediation programs. Thus, there is a need for targeted working memory and processing speed training studies to better understand the mechanisms of cognitive enhancement through training in patients. This study will aim to: 1) investigate near-transfer gains associated with working memory and processing speed training in schizophrenia patients, 2) investigate far-transfer gains associated with working memory and processing speed training (i.e., gains in other neurocognitive domains and social cognition), and 3) investigate real-world gains associated with training (i.e., gains in daily functioning). Towards this aim, 81 schizophrenia patients will be recruited and randomly assigned to a working memory training group, a processing speed training group, or a no training control group. Training will be completed at home for 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week, for a total of 10 weeks. Neurocognitive, social cognitive, and daily functioning measures will be administered both pre- and post-training to detect training-related gains.

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Working memory and processing speed training in schizophrenia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
   Cassetta BD, Goghari VM. · · 2016 · cited 13× · PMID 26812902 · DOI 10.1186/s13063-016-1188-5