MedPath

Nicotinic Receptors and Schizophrenia

Phase 2
Completed
Conditions
Schizoaffective Disorder
Schizophrenia
Interventions
Other: Placebo
Drug: DMXB-A-SR
Registration Number
NCT01400477
Lead Sponsor
University of Colorado, Denver
Brief Summary

The investigators hypothesize that sustained-release DMXB-A-SR (3-2,4 dimethoxybenzylidene anabaseine sustained release) will provide clinical improvement in cognition in patients with schizophrenia who are smokers and who are non-smokers. The study drug may also maintain abstinence from cigarette smoking and improve other symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

Detailed Description

Patients with schizophrenia will be screened then enrolled for one week placebo trial in addition to their existing antipsychotic medication. If pill compliance is greater than 80%, then they will receive baseline clinical, cognitive, and brain imaging and all clinical laboratory examinations and a physical examination, vital signs, and cardiogram. Then patients will receive in a randomized double blind trial either DMXB-A-SR (3-2,4 dimethoxybenzylidene anabaseine sustained release) or placebo comparator in addition to their existing antipsychotic medication. After one month patients will receive repeat clinical, cognitive, and brain imaging testing and all clinical laboratory examinations and a physical examination, vital signs, and cardiogram.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
97
Inclusion Criteria
  • Subjects will be selected to be 18 to 65 years old and in good general health.

  • Subjects who fulfill Diagnostic and Statistical Manual -IV-Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

  • Smokers will smoke at least 20 cigarettes per day.

  • Non-smokers will also be enrolled.

  • Subjects will have normal:

    • vital signs,
    • hematology,
    • serum chemistries,
    • EKG, and
    • urinalysis with a negative drug screen before entry into the study.
  • Subjects will be fluent in English.

  • Smoking subjects will be interested in stopping smoking in the near future and not interested in nicotine replacement therapy.

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Exclusion Criteria
  • Subjects with histories of:

    • neurological illness,
    • liver disease,
    • severe hypertension (cut-off blood pressure 160/100) or
    • cardiac disease, or
    • renal failure (cut-off creatinine above 1.4).
  • Subjects who currently meet DSM-IV-TR criteria for substance dependence other than nicotine, cannabis, or alcohol will be excluded.

  • Women who are capable of pregnancy and not on acceptable forms of birth control will be excluded.

  • Subjects being treated with Clozapine will be excluded.

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Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Arm #2: Placebo ComparatorPlaceboInert capsule to resemble active drug.
DMXB-A-SRDMXB-A-SRStudy Drug: 3-2, 4 dimethoxybenzylidene anabaseine sustained release (DMXB-A-SR), 3-2, 4 dimethoxybenzylidene anabaseine sustained release (GTS-21)
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Neurocognitive Efficacy4 weeks

MATRICS CCB Neurocognitive T-score (Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia Consensus Cognitive Battery Statistically Adjusted-score). Higher scores indicate better neurocognitive functionality.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Inhibition of Auditory Evoked Potential P50 to Repeated Stimuli4 weeks

The P50 evoked response paired of auditory stimuli S1, S2, is measured. The inhibition is expressed as the ratio P50 S2 amplitude divided by P50 S1 amplitude.

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

UColorado Denver

🇺🇸

Aurora, Colorado, United States

University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Psychiatry

🇺🇸

Aurora, Colorado, United States

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