Oxytocin and CBSST for People With Schizophrenia

Summary

A significant proportion of people with schizophrenia are characterized by impaired ability to socially engage with others, which may reflect social aversion secondary to defeatist beliefs; decreased motivation for social interactions; and/or impairment in the normal reinforcement value of social interactions. These impairments in social function have been shown to be associated with social skill deficits; and decreased ability to identify and remember emotional facial expressions and empathize with the emotional status of others. Unfortunately, pharmacological interventions have limited benefits for impaired social function, whereas psychosocial interventions provide only partial benefit for this critical aspect of the illness. The development of an effective intervention for functional outcomes remains a central therapeutic challenge. Cognitive Behavioral Social Skills Training (CBSST) uses corrective feedback and reinforcement provided by successful interactions to challenge and reduce defeatist performance beliefs that contribute to low drive and interfere with social functioning. CBSST has been shown to have modest effects on social function in people with schizophrenia. Oxytocin plays a critical role in the regulation of normal social affiliative behavior; it is hypothesized to enhance social affiliation through the reduction of anxiety or social risk aversion; the enhancement of motivation for prosocial approach behavior; and/or increased modulation of the salience and processing of social cues. People with schizophrenia have decreased oxytocin levels, which are associated with an impaired ability to identify facial emotions and decreased prosocial behaviors. The study will be comprised of three phases: 1) 2-week Evaluation Phase; 2) 24-week Double-blind Treatment Phase; and 3) 3-month Follow-up Phase.

Conditions

• Schizophrenia
• Schizoaffective Disorder

Interventions

DRUG

CBSST + Oxytocin

The oxytocin dose of 80 IU/day, will be administered in two divided doses: 40 IU in the morning and 40 IU in the evening. Oxytocin will be administered intranasally (10 puffs of the spray, 5 in each nostril at each administration). CBSST groups will occur for an hour twice/week. Nasal spray will be administered an hour prior to the CBSST group.

DRUG

CBSST + Placebo

Matching placebo spray will be administered intranasally (10 puffs of the spray, 5 in each nostril at each administration). CBSST groups will occur for an hour twice/week. Nasal spray will be administered an hour prior to the CBSST group.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of California, San Diego

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Maryland, Baltimore

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Robert Buchanan, MD · University of Maryland, College Park

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

55 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2014-01-31

Primary Completion

2016-08-31

Completion

2016-08-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations