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Does Abnormal Insulin Action in the Brain Underlie Cognitive and Metabolic Dysfunction in Schizophrenia

NCT05748990 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 20

Last updated 2025-08-05

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Cognitive impairment (such as challenges in thinking and memory) is a core aspect of schizophrenia (SCZ), contributing to disability and poor functional outcomes. Additionally, almost half of the patients with SCZ are obese, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is 3-6 times higher, and life expectancy is lower by 15-20 years compared to the general population. This is relevant as metabolic syndrome and diabetes are both associated with worse cognition among SCZ patients. Recent work studying the relationships between metabolic health and cognition has encouraged a new way of thinking about SCZ as both a metabolic and cognitive disorder. Brain insulin is involved in several processes relevant to SCZ, and abnormal brain insulin action may help explain both cognitive and metabolic abnormalities in patients with SCZ, but this has not been examined previously. Glucose uptake in several brain regions relevant to SCZ has been shown to be partially dependent on insulin. Therefore, in this study, the researchers will measure glucose uptake in the brain using an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (\[18F\]-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scan after an intranasal insulin stimulus, and will compare this measure between patients with SCZ and healthy controls.

Conditions

Interventions

DRUG

Intranasal insulin

160 IU insulin (Humalog) is administered intranasally using a metered spray bottle 15 minutes prior to the PET scan.

DRUG

Placebo

0.9% saline is administered intranasally using a metered spray bottle 15 minutes prior to the PET scan.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
17 Years
Max Age
45 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2023-04-01
Primary Completion
2026-04-01
Completion
2026-04-01

Countries

  • Canada

Study Locations

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Entities

Drugs
Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT05748990 on ClinicalTrials.gov