Brain Circuits in Schizophrenia and Smoking

Completed

Conditions studied: Schizophrenia, Smoking Cessation, Nicotine Abuse

In brief

Background: \- Smoking is associated with serious health risks. People who have mental illness are more likely to smoke. Researchers are studying the brain circuits linked with smoking and nicotine craving. This study will look at whether a specific brain circuit can explain the high rate of smoking in people with schizophrenia. Objectives: \- To study brain activity in smokers and nonsmokers with and without schizophrenia, as well as their family members. Eligibility: * Current smokers (at least 100 cigarettes in the past year) and nonsmokers between 18 and 62 years of age in one of the following groups: * Have been diagnosed with schizophrenia. * Family members of those with schizophrenia. * Healthy adults with no history of severe mental illness or brain trauma. * Family members of the healthy adults. Design: * People in the study will be screened with a physical exam, medical history, questionnaires, and blood tests. * They will have up to three visits: the screening visit and two study visits (each given 1 year apart). * At the first study visit, those taking part will be trained in the tests they will do during the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Then they will have the MRI scan. * After the first study visit, current smokers will receive phone calls from the study researchers every other month for 1 year. They will be asked about their smoking habits. * At the second study visit, current smokers and some nonsmokers will have another MRI scan and the same tests as before. * Current smokers will receive a final phone call 1 year after the second study visit. They will be asked to give information about their smoking habits.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT01369966

Run by

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

People needed

42

Starts

2011-05-16

Expected to finish

2014-12-24

Last updated by the study team

2018-04-05

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 62. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may not qualify if…

• For patients only:
• Evaluation to Sign Consent (ESC) score below 12.
• For all participants (patients and healthy controls):
• Any medical illnesses that may affect normal brain functioning, based on the screening history. Examples of these conditions include, but not limited to, stroke, repeated seizure, history of significant head trauma, CNS infection or tumor, other significant brain neurological conditions.
• Substance dependence within 6 months or substance abuse within 1 month, other than nicotine or marijuana dependence.
• Pregnancy
• Cannot refrain from using alcohol and marijuana for 24 hours
• Unable to safely undergo MRI scanning due to metallic devices or objects (cardiac pacemaker or neurostimulator, some artificial joints, metal pins, surgical clips or other implanted or non-removable metal parts), claustrophobic to the scanner, or unable to lie comfortably supine for up to 2 hours
• Cannot safely give 70 ml blood based on the screening evaluation
• For family members:
• Family members meeting exclusion criteria 1-5 above may participate in the study unless they cannot safely give 70 ml blood. Their participation will, however, be limited to research interviews and questionnaires and phlebotomy or saliva collection for genetic testing.

Where it is running

• Maryland Psychiatric Research Center (MPRC) 55 Wade Avenue — Catonsville, Maryland, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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