Childhood Trauma in Schizophrenia: Exploration of Links Between Gene Expression, Cerebral Morphology and Symptomatology

Completed

• Conditions: Schizophrenia

• Registration Number: NCT03355781
• Lead Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne

Brief Summary

Childhood trauma is known as a vulnerability factor in schizophrenia. In healthy volunteers, these adversities are linked to a decrease of grey matter of the brain, similar to those observed in schizophrenia.

In a previous study based on Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM), including 21 schizophrenic patients and 30 healthy volunteers, the investigators shown a negative correlation between emotional neglect (important dimension in childhood trauma) and grey matter decrease. This strong correlation was significantly higher in schizophrenic patients than in healthy volunteers, suggesting a higher genetic predisposition to environmental factors in schizophrenic people.

Currently, interaction between genetic predisposition and environmental stress factors is the major model for understanding in schizophrenia. In order to analyze both effects on human body, particularly on brain, several studies currently focus on the product of genetic expression, the ribonucleic acid (ARN).

The purpose of this study is to provide an explanatory model of links between childhood trauma, candidate gene for schizophrenia expression, cerebral morphology and schizophrenic symptomatology. Using conceptual framework of stress vulnerability, structural equation modeling (SEM) will allow testing causal link between these different variables.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2017-11-10
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-11-22
• Study First Posted: 2017-11-28
• Study Start: 2018-11-14
• Primary Completion: 2023-11-30
• Study Completion: 2023-11-30
• Status Verified: 2024-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-01-16
• Last Update Posted: 2024-01-17

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 78

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Quantitative measurement of RNAs	5 days	development of an etiopathogenic model characteristic of schizophrenia
Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) for regional gray matter density.	5 days	development of an etiopathogenic model characteristic of schizophrenia
Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) for total gray matter	5 days	development of an etiopathogenic model characteristic of schizophrenia
Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) for childhood trauma.	5 days	development of an etiopathogenic model characteristic of schizophrenia; Childhood Trauma Questionnaire : to assess five types of childhood trauma : 1. Emotional neglect; 2. physical abuse; 3. emotional abuse; 4. physical neglect; 5. sexual abuse; Each item being rated in 5 answer choice from 1 to 5 (never, rarely, sometimes, often or very often)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Correlation of BOLD activity in the cortico-limbic circuit with emotional variables	5 days	emotional variables : ERS scale, ERQ scale, TAS-20 scale, SAS scale, AES-C scale
Correlation of BOLD activity in the cortico-limbic circuit with personality characteristics	5 days	personality characteristics : EPQ-R scale, SPQ scale
Correlation of BOLD activity in the cortico-limbic circuit with history of trauma in childhood	5 days	history of trauma in childhood : CTQ scale
Correlation of BOLD activity in the cortico-limbic circuit in patients with patients with symptomatic variables	5 days	symptomatic variables : PANSS scale
Volumetry of the brain	5 days
Connectivity in the cortico-limbic circuit	5 days

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

CHU de Saint Etienne; 🇫🇷 Saint-Étienne, France