Brain Imaging of Cognition Inn Schizophrenia and Depression
Recruiting now NCT04159662
Run by The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre · for 18 to 60 · All sexes
What this study is about
Schizophrenia and depression are among the most disabling disorders in all of medicine. Cognitive deficits play a key role in patients' disability, affecting their capacity to contribute actively to society by sustaining employment or academic activity. Moreover, cognitive difficulties tend to persist even after the stabilization of other clinical symptoms. Verbal memory and emotion regulation are two important cognitive domains that are impaired in schizophrenia and depression and are associated with patients' functional outcomes. In this study, brain imaging is used to investigate the brain mechanisms underlying these cognitive deficits in these populations.
Who can join (things the study team will check)
✅ You may be able to join if…
- age 18-60 years
- current Intelligence Quotient (IQ) > 70 as measured by the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI)
- the ability to read and speak fluent English
- a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective or major depression disorder
- stable medication for more than one month
🚫 You may not be able to join if…
- significant neurological or other medical disorders that may produce cognitive impairment
- a recent history of substance abuse or dependence (within the past 3 months)
- any magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contraindications (e.g. metallic head implant, history of seizure, pacemaker)
- decisional incapacity requiring a guardian
- taking medications that are rated as Anticholinergic Burden (ACB) Score 3 (severe) or taking benzodiazepines on a daily basis
- Finally, participants could not be severely symptomatic at the time of study enrolment to ensure that they could understand and complete all study assessments. This criterion was defined as a score ≤34 on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS; Montgomery \& Åsberg, 1979) for the MDD group and a score ≤95 on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS; Kay et al., 1987) for the SZ group.
Where this trial is running
- Royal Ottawa Mental Health Center, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Who to contact
Synthia Guimond, PhD · 6137226521 · Synthia.Guimond@theroyal.ca
It's completely normal to call and ask questions before deciding anything. Mention the study ID: NCT04159662.
Verify everything on the official ClinicalTrials.gov record. Page updated July 2026.