Promoting Adaptive Decision-Making in Schizophrenia Through Improved Evidence Integration: A Combined Neuroimaging and Experience Sampling Study
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if attention and ways of thinking impact decision-making and brain processes related to decision-making in people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder relative to people without either condition. It will also learn how brain functioning during decision-making relates to real-world decisions made during daily life. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does paying attention to specific information impact decision-making and brain processes? * Does thinking in a certain way according to specific 'thinking strategies' improve brain processes related to decision-making? * Does brain functioning during decision-making relate to real-world choices to engage in activities? Researchers will compare brain functioning and decision-making on computer tasks of gambling after participants have been trained to use a positive thinking strategy. They will compare what is different in the brain and behavior when participants use this strategy and when they do not. Participants will also answer brief surveys about activities and feelings for a week in their daily lives. Participants will: * Complete several hours of clinical interviewing, cognitive tests, and surveys of about symptoms, experiences, and personality * Complete computer tasks about gambling decisions during MRI brain scanning and while having their visual attention measured using eye-tracking * Complete brief surveys about their activities and feelings 5 times a day for 1 week using a cell phone. Each survey only take several minutes.
Description
This study aims to identify how attention and different ways of thinking impact decision making and brain activity. We are specifically examining how these factors differ between individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and individuals who do not have these conditions. We are also investigating how brain functioning during decision-making tasks correlates with real-world decisions recorded in everyday life. This ongoing study utilizes functional MRI brain imaging, eye-tracking, and daily event-sampling self-reports to identify whether there are differences in decision-making…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–50 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria The following criteria apply to all subjects: 1. Between ages of 18-50. 2. Have capacity to provide informed consent 3. Fluent communication in English 4. Willingness and ability to follow study requirements, as evidenced by an ability to provide written or virtual informed consent and read, and complete, study procedures. 5. Cognitive ability to understand tasks and estimated IQ greater than 70. The following criteria apply to subjects with schizophrenia: 1\. Primary diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder The following additional criteria apply to subje…
Interventions
- BehavioralPositive Emotion Upregulation
Participants will identify personal goals or activities that they would like to engage in more and describe these goals/activities in a written format with research staff. Participants will then complete a gambling task during functional MRI scanning. Prior to making some gambling decisions, participants are instructed to mentally imagine achieving a goal or engaging in an enjoyable activity. Prior to the other decisions participants are instructed to respond naturally (i.e., not use the cognitive strategy).
Location
- Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging ResearchPiscataway, New Jersey