EPI-MINN: Targeting Cognition and Motivation

Summary

The purpose of this study is to perform a practice-based research project designed to assess whether cognition and motivated behavior in early psychosis can be addressed as key treatment goals within real-world settings by using a 12-week mobile intervention program. Participants who are enrolled in a chart review study of measurement-based care will be recruited to participate in this study. In the measurement-based care study, participants are enrolled in coordinated specialty care programs for early psychosis that provide comprehensive clinical services such as psychotherapy, medication management, psychoeducation, work or education support, and measurement-based care. Participants will complete a set of well-defined measures every 6 months that assess symptoms, functioning, cognition and motivation as standard of care. The current study will utilize the data acquired in the measurement-based care study.

The aim of this study is to investigate a well-defined 12-week mobile intervention program specifically designed to target cognitive functioning and motivated behavior for individuals with early psychosis. The investigators will test for differences in the clinical trajectories over 18 months in those who receive the intervention vs. those who do not.

This study will be conducted jointly with a sister protocol under a separate NCT listing. This iteration will be conducted locally within the EPI-MINN Network, while the other project will be conducted on a national scale.

Conditions

• Psychosis

Interventions

DEVICE

Cognitive and Social Cognitive Training

The Cognitive Training Module is designed to improve the speed and accuracy of auditory information processing while engaging working memory and cognitive control under conditions of close attention and reward. Exercises continuously adjust difficulty level to user performance to maintain an approximately 80% current performance rate. The goal is to increase the effectiveness by which salient stimuli engage and drive plastic changes in brain systems that in individuals with psychosis exhibit relatively poor temporal response. The Social Cognition Training Module consists of exercises designed to ameliorate core deficits in social cognition expressed in schizophrenia and Autism Spectrum Disorders. The exercises apply principles of implicit learning to restore the brain's capacity to process and utilize socially-relevant information, and include training to improve affect perception, social cue perception, theory of mind, self-referential style, and emotion labeling and working memory.

BEHAVIORAL

Personalized Real-Time Intervention for Motivational Enhancement (PRIME) App

The PRIME smartphone-based app is designed to be used for 12 weeks to enhance motivation in people with early psychosis. Participants work towards self-identified goals with the support of the virtual community of age-matched peers, as well as with motivation coaches. Participants discuss their interests and aspirations with each other and with their coach, and the coach sends daily individualized motivational messages. Coaches also provide tailored interventions to enhance motivation, and post daily discussion topics to the PRIME community to encourage interaction between members. Coaches will maintain close communication and feedback on progress with each individual's clinical team.

OTHER

Early Psychosis Coordinated Specialty Care

Participants will continue to receive treatment as usual at their early psychosis coordinated specialty care clinics. These clinics may follow the NAVIGATE model, as an example.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  collaborator NIH

• University of Minnesota

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Sophia Vinogradov, MD · University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

15 Years

Max Age

40 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-08-12

Primary Completion

2026-07-31

Completion

2026-07-31

FDA Device

Yes

Countries

• United States

Study Locations