Pharmacological Approach to Improve the Outcome of Social Cognition Training

NCT ID: NCT01517360

Last Updated: 2013-03-29

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE1

Total Enrollment

27 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2012-01-31

Study Completion Date

2013-02-28

Brief Summary

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This study will evaluate whether oxytocin will facilitate the learning of social cognitive skills in schizophrenia patients who receive 12 sessions of Social Cognitive Skills Training (SCST). The primary hypothesis is that schizophrenia subjects who are treated with oxytocin will demonstrate greater improvements in a summary measure of social cognition than subjects treated with placebo over the course of SCST.

Detailed Description

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Individuals with schizophrenia often have serious deficits in their abilities to perceive and interpret socially relevant information. These deficits in social cognition can lead to misunderstanding the intentions of others and failing to interpret social signals that are important for successful social interactions. The relationship between social cognition and functioning has led our group to develop a research agenda that includes understanding the neural underpinnings of social cognitive deficits, measuring these impairments using brain-based biomarkers and clinical assessments, and enhancing our Social Cognitive Skills Training program to improve social cognition and promote recovery.

Oxytocin, which is a hormone and neurotransmitter, is believed to impact social cognition through increased orienting toward and attending to socially salient visual features. There is also evidence that oxytocinergic signaling is impaired in schizophrenia. With this research, we hope to learn whether administration of oxytocin will improve different aspects of social cognition by examining the effects of oxytocin versus placebo administered intranasally before each of 12 sessions of a social cognitive skills training program on measures of independent living, work and social functioning.

Conditions

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Schizophrenia

Keywords

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Schizophrenia Social Cognition Oxytocin

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Placebo+Social Cognitive Skills Training

The training utilizes skill building techniques that are commonly used in psychiatric rehabilitation. These include breaking down complex social cognitive processes into their components and automating these skills through repetition and practice. The training programs will include 12 sessions and will be administered in a small group format (6-8 participants per group) twice a week for 6 weeks. The treatment groups will include individuals who are assigned to placebo. Each training session will last for about 90 minutes (1 hour training and 30 minutes between placebo administration and start of training).

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type OTHER

Placebo, matched to Oxytocin, intranasal inhalation

Social Cognitive Skills Training

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The training utilizes skill building techniques that are commonly used in psychiatric rehabilitation. These include breaking down complex social cognitive processes into their components and automating these skills through repetition and practice. The training programs will include 12 sessions and will be administered in a small group format (6-8 participants per group) twice a week for 6 weeks. Each training session will last for about 90 minutes (1 hour training and 30 minutes between drug administration and start of training).

Oxytocin+Social Cognitive Skill Training

The training utilizes skill building techniques that are commonly used in psychiatric rehabilitation. These include breaking down complex social cognitive processes into their components and automating these skills through repetition and practice. The training programs will include 12 sessions and will be administered in a small group format (6-8 participants per group) twice a week for 6 weeks. The treatment groups will include individuals who are assigned to oxytocin. Each training session will last 90 minutes (1 hour training and 30 minutes between oxytocin administration and start of training).

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Oxytocin

Intervention Type DRUG

Oxytocin 40 IU, intranasal inhalation

Social Cognitive Skills Training

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The training utilizes skill building techniques that are commonly used in psychiatric rehabilitation. These include breaking down complex social cognitive processes into their components and automating these skills through repetition and practice. The training programs will include 12 sessions and will be administered in a small group format (6-8 participants per group) twice a week for 6 weeks. Each training session will last for about 90 minutes (1 hour training and 30 minutes between drug administration and start of training).

Interventions

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Oxytocin

Oxytocin 40 IU, intranasal inhalation

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo

Placebo, matched to Oxytocin, intranasal inhalation

Intervention Type OTHER

Social Cognitive Skills Training

The training utilizes skill building techniques that are commonly used in psychiatric rehabilitation. These include breaking down complex social cognitive processes into their components and automating these skills through repetition and practice. The training programs will include 12 sessions and will be administered in a small group format (6-8 participants per group) twice a week for 6 weeks. Each training session will last for about 90 minutes (1 hour training and 30 minutes between drug administration and start of training).

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

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Syntocinon

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Diagnosis of schizophrenia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition
* Stable on an antipsychotic medication
* No change in antipsychotic dose of \>10% during the past 3 months

Exclusion Criteria

* Unable to provide informed consent
* History of epilepsy
* Active medical conditions that would make the study unsafe
* History of serious head injury
* History of hyponatremia
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

55 Years

Eligible Sex

MALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System

FED

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Stephen R Marder, MD

Director, VA Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Stephen R Marder, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Department of Veterans Affairs, University of California Los Angeles

Locations

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West Los Angeles VA Medical Center

Los Angeles, California, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Marder SR, Wirshing WC, Mintz J, McKenzie J, Johnston K, Eckman TA, Lebell M, Zimmerman K, Liberman RP. Two-year outcome of social skills training and group psychotherapy for outpatients with schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry. 1996 Dec;153(12):1585-92. doi: 10.1176/ajp.153.12.1585.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8942455 (View on PubMed)

Horan WP, Kern RS, Tripp C, Hellemann G, Wynn JK, Bell M, Marder SR, Green MF. Efficacy and specificity of social cognitive skills training for outpatients with psychotic disorders. J Psychiatr Res. 2011 Aug;45(8):1113-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2011.01.015. Epub 2011 Mar 4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21377168 (View on PubMed)

Heinrichs M, von Dawans B, Domes G. Oxytocin, vasopressin, and human social behavior. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2009 Oct;30(4):548-557. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2009.05.005. Epub 2009 Jun 6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19505497 (View on PubMed)

Feifel D, Macdonald K, Nguyen A, Cobb P, Warlan H, Galangue B, Minassian A, Becker O, Cooper J, Perry W, Lefebvre M, Gonzales J, Hadley A. Adjunctive intranasal oxytocin reduces symptoms in schizophrenia patients. Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Oct 1;68(7):678-80. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.04.039. Epub 2010 Jul 7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20615494 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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Promise # 0041

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id