Enhancing Cognitive Training Through Exercise After a First Schizophrenia Episode

Summary

This is a randomized controlled 6-month trial of the efficacy of a novel intervention combining neuroplasticity-based cognitive training with aerobic exercise, compared to the same systematic cognitive training alone. The primary treatment targets are overall cognitive deficit level and independent living skills. The investigators hypothesize that combining neuroplasticity-based computerized cognitive training and neurotrophin-enhancing physical exercise will produce large cognitive and functional improvements, even relative to cognitive training alone. Adding aerobic exercise to a cognitive training program will have the additional benefit of helping to ameliorate medication side effects, reduce the risk for developing metabolic syndrome, and help to prevent the deterioration in physical health that usually follows the onset of schizophrenia and its pharmacologic treatment. The investigators target the period shortly after a first episode of schizophrenia to maximize the generalization of cognitive improvement to functional outcome, before chronic disability is established.

Conditions

• Schizophrenia
• Schizophreniform Disorder
• Schizoaffective Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Case management and supportive psychotherapy

An individual therapist will provide weekly case management and therapy targeting the individual psychological problems and everyday functioning needs of the patient

BEHAVIORAL

Family psychoeducation

All immediate family members will be invited to family psychoeducation sessions.

BEHAVIORAL

Cognitive training

The Cognitive Training and Exercise intervention involves 24 weeks of systematic computerized cognitive training, 4 hours per week, plus aerobic exercise, four 30 minute sessions per week. The first 12 weeks involves neurocognitive training, using auditory training exercises from Posit Science Brain HQ. The second 12 weeks involves social cognitive training, using the Posit Science SocialVille modules. A weekly one-hour Bridging Skills Group with other members of the treatment condition is designed to aid generalization of training to everyday life situations.

BEHAVIORAL

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise occurs as two 30-minute sessions at the clinic and two at home weekly. Intensity of aerobic exercise is tailored to maintain an individualized target heart rate zone and is monitored by a heart rate recorder.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  collaborator NIH

• University of California, Los Angeles

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Keith H Nuechterlein, Ph.D. · University of California, Los Angeles

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

45 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2013-11-30

Primary Completion

2016-11-30

Completion

2017-07-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations