Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of Neuropsychiatric Patients and Healthy Volunteers

Completed

Conditions studied: Schizophrenia, Normal Physiology

In brief

The purpose of this study is to use brain imaging technology to compare differences in brain structure, chemistry, and functioning in individuals with brain and mental disorders compared to healthy volunteers. Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that results from subtle changes and abnormalities in neurons. These deficits likely occur in localized regions of the brain and may result in widespread, devastating consequences. The neuronal abnormalities are inherited through a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors. Brain imaging technologies can be used to better characterize brain changes in individuals with schizophrenia. This study will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to identify predictable, quantifiable abnormalities in neurophysiology, neurochemistry and neuroanatomy that characterize schizophrenia and other neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00004571

Run by

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

People needed

3273

Starts

2000-02-17

Last updated by the study team

2026-08-04

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 120. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may not qualify if…

• CONTROLS AND PATIENTS:
• Impaired hearing.
• Pregnancy.
• Head trauma with loss of consciousness in the last year, or any evidence of functional impairment due to and persisting after head trauma.
• Patients or healthy volunteers with a known risk from exposure to high magnetic fields (e.g. patients with pace makers) and those who have metallic implants (e.g. braces) in the head region (likely to create artifact on the MRI scans) will be excluded from participating in the fMRI studies.
• History of any (excepting nicotine-related) DSM5-defined moderate to severe substance use disorder (or DSM-IV-defined substance dependence).
• Cumulative lifetime history of any (excepting nicotine-related) DSM5-defined mild substance use disorder (or any DSM-IV-defined substance abuse), either in excess of 5 years total or not in remission for at least 6 months.
• NIMH employees and staff and their immediate family members will be excluded from the study per NIMH policy.
• Non-NIMH NIH employees and staff may participate and will be given the NIH Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for NIH Staff Who are Considering Participation in NIH Research.
• PATIENTS:
• Coexistence of another major mental illness at the time of the study. If the patients experienced other mental illnesses in the past (e.g. a learning disability or major depression), then this should be judged to be fully recovered.
• Major concurrent medical illness likely to interfere with the acquisition of the task.
• Concomitant medications which could interfere with performance on the task.
• Involuntary movements that interfere with positioning in the MRI scanner).

Where it is running

• National Institutes of Health Clinical Center — Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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