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Enhancing Cognitive Reserve of the Offsprings of Bipolar and Schizophrenic Patients

Not Applicable
Conditions
Bipolar and Related Disorders
Interventions
Behavioral: Support intervention
Behavioral: Enhancing Cognitive Reserve
Registration Number
NCT03722082
Lead Sponsor
Hospital Clinic of Barcelona
Brief Summary

The high hereditary component and the contribution of neurodevelopmental processes in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia means implies the children of these patients are considered a high risk population for both diseases and therefore a very adequate sample for the study of vulnerability markers to both disorders. To date there is no previous literature on the psychological approach of children and adolescents of bipolar or schizophrenic patients. The concept of cognitive reserve (CR) was initially developed in the field of dementia, it assumes that people with the same brain damage may have different clinical manifestations depending on their ability to compensate for this damage, so a greater cognitive reserve will entail a greater capacity to compensate the alterations and difficulties due to the pathology. Enhancing CR in high genetic risk population could help the acquisition of skills that help compensate the clinical, cognitive and neuroimaging alterations and ultimately help in the prevention of the development of pathologies for those with higher risk.This study aims to develop and apply a psychological program in order to enhance cognitive reserve (CR) in child, adolescent and young adults offspring of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (SZBP-OFF).

Detailed Description

The project will have two main objectives: to test the effectiveness of the psychological program and to test if the observed improvements are stable over time (nine months of follow-up). A sample of 108 SZBP-OFF and 52 community controls will be included. Both groups will be assessed with clinical scales, neuropsychological, CR and neuroimaging assessments at baseline. Then, the SZBP-OFF group will be randomized to psychological program to enhance CR (N= 54) or to support treatment (N=54). SZBP-OFF subjects will be evaluated with clinical, CR, neuropsychological and neuroimaging tests after the psychological intervention and at nine months follow-up in order to assess if the obtained results are stable over time. The investigators hypothesize that SZBP-OFF will show lower CR scores and higher percentages of psychopathology, cognitive difficulties and brain abnormalities. The investigators also hypothesize that SZBP-OFF who received the psychological intervention will increase their CR and will decrease the severity of the observed difficulties (in clinical, neuropsychological, CR and neuroimaging areas). These results will be stable in the nine month follow-up assessment.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
173
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

• Mental retardation with impaired functioning and presence of neurological disorder or history of traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Supportive InterventionSupport interventionThe participants will not receive any structured intervention focused to enhance cognitive reserve. The therapists will adopt a client-centred focus, meaning that whatever problems the patient presents will be dealt with by providing emotional support and general advise.
Enhancing cognitive reserve interventionEnhancing Cognitive ReserveThis intervention focuses in the improvement of academic skills, the increase of leisure activities and the improvement of neurocognitive functions with the ultimate goal of improving daily functioning. This intervention is based on ecological tasks that will be carried out in two areas, both in the hospital and at home. Most of the techniques are based on: pencil and paper tasks, with audiovisual and virtual reality support, telephone applications and group activities. The groups will be made with parents and children, adolescents and young adults separately being the content of the sessions the same but adapted to the age of the attendees.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Cognitive reserve3 months afther the intervention and 12 months after baseline

Changes in cognitive reserve assessed with a specific scale which assesses the most common proposed proxy indicators such as education-occupation' which is assessed taking into account the number of years of obligatory education that subjects completed and parent's educational level; and the lifetime school performance and lifetime participation in leisure, social and physical activities.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Bipolar Prodrome Symptom Interview and Scale_Prospective (BPSS_FP)12 months after baseline

It is a specific interview for emerging bipolar disorder symptoms.

Wisconsin Card Sorting TestAfter the intervention (3 months) and 12 months after baseline

Executive function test (set-shifting, flexibility)

Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-21)After the intervention (3 months) and 1 year after baseline

Scale to assess depression symptoms. Score between 0 to 7 indicates absence of depressive symptoms, hihher scores indicate more severe depression.

Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS)After the intervention (3 months) and 1 year after baseline

The YMRS is a rating scale used to evaluate manic symptoms at baseline and over time in individuals with mania. Scores superior to 12 indicate presence of manic episodes. Higher scores indicate more severe mania.

Neuroimage variablesAfter the intervention (3 months)

Changes in white and grey matter. Measure will be performed with a MRI

Continuous Performance TestAfter the intervention (3 months) and 12 months after baseline

Sustained attention test

Stroop TestAfter the intervention (3 months) and 12 months after baseline

Executive function test (inhibit interference)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Hospital Clinic

🇪🇸

Barcelona, Spain

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