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Active, Not Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT03781115

Proposal To Develop A Rapid And Cost-Effective Diagnostic Test For Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a severe psychotic illness of unknown cause that affects 1% of the population worldwide. Currently, there is no diagnostic test for schizophrenia. Instead, the diagnosis is typically established through a psychiatric interview of the patient, who is evaluated against a set of established criteria of signs and symptoms. It can take many months to years to establish a diagnosis of schizophrenia and achieve an appropriate treatment regimen to attain resolution of the patient's symptoms. This process is particularly challenging in areas of limited access to specialists a problem not only in third world countries and rural regions, but throughout the United States where there can be long waits to obtain an appointment with a psychiatrist. The present research experiment investigates a potential novel method for diagnosing schizophrenia.

The overall objective of the study is to test the hypothesis that patients with schizophrenia will have a heightened tolerance to the sedating effects of anti-psychotic medications, which will be reflected in differences in their electroencephalogram (EEG) when compared to healthy normal controls. The investigators expect that the schizophrenia patients will score on the "more alert" and "less sleepy" ends of these scales, and that the normal control subjects will show the opposite response. A patient that fails to become sedated or experience the sleepiness side effects, typically caused by the anti-psychotic medication, may support the existing diagnosis of schizophrenia. Measures of the subjects' level of sedation that are found to correlate significantly with EEG response and diagnosis will be used to create a diagnostic test. This simple and inexpensive test will consist of a single dosage of anti-psychotic medication, and a rapid assessment tool with scores that have a high degree of predictive validity for the diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

Key information

Conditions

Schizophrenia Mental Disorders Psychotic Disorders Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders

Age range

18 year–40 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1

Primary location

Banner University Medical Center

Phoenix, Arizona, 85006, United States

About this study

The overall objective of the study is to test the hypothesis that patients with schizophrenia will have a heightened tolerance to the sedating effects of antipsychotic medications, which will be reflected in differences in the participants' electroencephalogram response (EEG), when compared to healthy control participants.The following Specific Aims are designed to test this hypothesis and create the diagnostic tool.

Specific Aim 1: The investigators will first conduct a pilot dose-response evaluation of the anti-psychotic drugs ziprasidone (Geodon) (20, 40, or 60 mg tablet) and olanzapine (Zyprexa®) (2.5, 5, 7.5, or 10 mg tablet) in non-psychiatric ill control participants to determine the optimal dosage that promotes sedation in healthy participants versus a placebo. The evaluation will comprise a physical examination and questionnaires. The investigators will start with the lowest dose of each drug and if the dosage fails to induce sedation in healthy participants, the investigators will repeat the pilot dose-response evaluation with the next higher dose until the maximum dose is reached for both drugs. Specific Aim 2. To determine whether the pattern of EEG activity in response to a single dose of the anti-psychotic medication determined from the dose-response study from Aim 1 distinguishes schizophrenia participants from normal controls. The investigators will start with 2-4 healthy control participants to determine that the results show a discernible effect on the EEG using the dosage from Aim 1. If the dose of anti-psychotic medication fails to show an effect on the EEG the investigators will increase the dosage until the maximum dosage of the chosen medication is used. Once the dosage is identified the investigators will move onto getting IRB approval to evaluate participants diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Healthy Control

  • Be between 18 and 40 years of age
  • Be able to understand English
  • Have no history of psychosis
  • Have no history of sleep apnea, heart condition or seizure
  • Have no known drug allergies
  • The ability to swallow a pill

Exclusion criteria

Healthy control

  • Refuse to sign the consent form
  • Drink caffeine or alcohol within 24 hours of the study
  • Have the EKG readout report borderline or abnormal ECG
  • Have the 12 panel urine drug screen show a positive result
  • Be pregnant

Inclusion criteria

Schizophrenic subject

  • Be between 18 and 40 years of age
  • Be able to understand English
  • Have been diagnosed with a Schizophrenia Spectrum or other psychotic disorder
  • Belong to one of three groups:
  • Never medicated patients with a first episode of psychosis
  • Have not received long acting injectable (depot) antipsychotic in previous 6 months
  • Have not received oral antipsychotic (or antidepressant that has serotonergic action) in previous 2 weeks
  • Have no history of sleep apnea, heart condition or seizure
  • Have no known drug allergies
  • Be able to swallow a pill
  • Healthy as determined by the enrolling physician(s)

Exclusion criteria

Schizophrenic subject

  • Refuse to sign the consent form
  • Drink caffeine or alcohol within 24 hours of the study
  • Have the EKG readout report borderline or abnormal ECG
  • Have the 12 panel urine drug screen show a positive result
  • Be pregnant

Treatment and study plan

Ziprasidone

Drug

anti-psychotic drug proposed for use as rapid diagnostic tool

Other names: Geodon

Olanzapine

Drug

anti-psychotic drug proposed for use as rapid diagnostic tool

Other names: Zyprexa

placebo comparator

Drug

A non drug oral placebo capsule will be given as a control

Other names: Placebo Oral Capsule

Primary outcomes

  1. Heart Rate

    Time frame: up to 2 years

    Evaluating the heart rate of the subject every hour during all the test procedures

  2. Pulse Rate

    Time frame: up to 2 years

    Evaluating the pulse rate of the subject every hour during all the test procedures

  3. Stanford Sleepiness Scale

    Time frame: up to 2 years

    The subject will rate how sleepy they are feeling at baseline and every hour during the test using an (8) point scale (i.e. 1= feeling active, vital alert, or wide awake; 2= functioning at high levels, but not fully alert; 3= awake, but relaxed, responsive but not fully alert; 4= somewhat foggy, let down; 5= foggy, losing interest in remaining awake, slowed down; 6= sleepy, woozy, fighting sleep, prefer to lay down; 7= no longer fighting sleep, sleep onset soon, having dream-like thoughts; 8= asleep

  4. Epworth Sleepiness Scale

    Time frame: up to 2 years

    The subject will rate their pre-test sleepiness only once during the test using a (4) point scale (0= no chance of dosing, 1= slight chance of dosing, 2= moderate chance of dozing and 3= high chance of dozing

  5. Fatigue Severity Scale

    Time frame: up to 2 years

    The subject will rate their pre-test fatigue only once during the test by rating 10 questions using a slide scale between 1 and 7. A rating of 1 means the subject strongly disagrees with the statement. A rating of 7 means the subject strongly agrees with the statement.

  6. Chalder Fatigue Scale

    Time frame: up to 2 years

    Subjects will rate their fatigue every hour and at baseline by answering 11 questions and rating their fatigue using a 4 point scale (i.e. less than usual, no more than usual, more than usual and much more than usual)

  7. Psychomotor physical computerized test

    Time frame: up to 2 years

    The participants uses a computerized test to test their reflexes every hour and at baseline during the trial period. Every time a red dot appears in the middle of the screen the participant must touch the computer screen as fast as they can. This test was measured in how fast they responded (ms) and by how many attempts to touch the screen were recorded in 2 minutes

  8. Hand Fatigue Scale

    Time frame: up to 2 years

    A hand grip measuring device will be used to test for fatigue. A small hand held device will measure the participants hand grip strength every hour during the test and at baseline.

  9. Electroencephalogram

    Time frame: up to 2 years

    Electroencephalogram will be taken at baseline and after subjects have taken the anti-psychotic medication. There will be no placebo taken for this test.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Arizona

Other

Collaborators

  • Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Foundation

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Dec 19, 2018
Registry last updated
Jul 8, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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