Effects of Auditory Stimulation on Sleep and Memory in Schizophrenia
- Conditions
- Schizophrenia
- Interventions
- Other: PlaceboOther: Auditory Stimulation
- Registration Number
- NCT04783571
- Lead Sponsor
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Brief Summary
The investigators will test the hypothesis that auditory stimulation (playing quiet sounds during sleep) can normalize brain activity during sleep and improve memory in patients with schizophrenia. The investigators will do this by measuring sleep and memory performance under two conditions separated by one week: receiving auditory stimulation during sleep and not receiving auditory stimulation during sleep. The investigators will study healthy subjects and outpatients with schizophrenia.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 70
For healthy controls:
- Male and female subjects
- 18-50 years of age
- Proficient in English
For schizophrenia patients:
- Male and female schizophrenia outpatients
- 18-50 years of age
- Proficient in English
- Able to give informed consent
- Pregnant females
- Current use of psychotropic medications (healthy controls only)
- A history of head injury resulting in prolonged loss of consciousness or other neurological sequelae
- IQ <85
- Neurological disorder (including seizure disorder)
- Significant hearing or vision loss
- Current substance abuse or dependence (nicotine abuse or dependence is not exclusionary)
- Any unstable chronic medical condition that affects sleep
- Diagnosed sleep disorder
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- CROSSOVER
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Healthy Controls Placebo Adult participants screened to exclude a personal history of mental illness, family history of schizophrenia spectrum disorder, and psychoactive medication use. Schizophrenia Auditory Stimulation Adult outpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Placebo Adult outpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Healthy Controls Auditory Stimulation Adult participants screened to exclude a personal history of mental illness, family history of schizophrenia spectrum disorder, and psychoactive medication use.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Differences in slow-oscillation spindle coupling Placebo and auditory stimulation naps will be approximately one week apart Differences in slow oscillation-spindle coupling during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep as measured by EEG between placebo and auditory stimulation naps
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Differences in slow oscillations Placebo and auditory stimulation naps will be approximately one week apart Differences in slow oscillations during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep as measured by EEG between placebo and auditory stimulation naps
Differences in sleep spindles Placebo and auditory stimulation naps will be approximately one week apart Differences in sleep spindles during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep as measured by EEG between placebo and auditory stimulation naps
Differences in sleep-dependent consolidation of motor procedural memory Placebo and auditory stimulation naps will be approximately one week apart Differences in sleep-dependent improvement of motor procedural memory performance on the finger tapping motor sequence task (MST) between placebo and auditory stimulation naps. The MST involves pressing four numerically labeled keys on a standard keypad, repeating a 5 digit sequence as quickly and accurately as possible for 12 trials at 30 seconds each separated by 30 sec rest periods. Different sequences are employed for the placebo and stimulation visits in a counter-balanced order.
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Massachusetts General Hospital
🇺🇸Boston, Massachusetts, United States