Changes in Brain Synchronization During Perceptual and Linguistic Tasks in Schizophrenic Patients

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study aims to identify electrophysiological correlates of impaired perceptual and linguistic processes in chronic schizophrenic patients, un-medicated first-episode schizophrenic patients and their healthy relatives. Following administrating some questionnaires (demographic details and psychiatric history questionnaire, handedness questionnaire, reading abilities test and positive and negative symptoms questionnaire) and performing a perception test and a verbal abstract intelligence test, participants will conduct a brain scan during a series of perceptual and linguistic tasks.

Conditions
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Schizophrenic Patients

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Magnetoencephalograph (MEG)


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Inclusion criteria for chronic patients: Hebrew native speakers. Diagnosis of schizophrenia with a history of more than one episode. Capable and willing to provide informed consent. Inclusion criteria for naive patients: Hebrew native speakers. Diagnosis of schizophrenia with a history of only one episode and unmedicated. Capable and willing to provide informed consent. Inclusion criteria for patients' relatives (control group 1): Hebrew native speakers. Without any psychiatric history. Have a child and/or a sibling with schizophrenia. Inclusion Criteria for students (control group 2): Hebrew native speakers. Without any psychiatric history. Exclusion Criteria: Exclusion Criteria for patient groups (chronic and naïve): Left handedness. Reading disability. Visual perception disability. Brain damage and/or a history of seizures. Impaired intelligence. Metal implants. Exclusion Criteria for control groups (family members and students): Psychiatric history. Left handedness. Reading disability. Visual perception disability. Brain damage and/or a history of seizures. Impaired intelligence. Metal implants.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Students<br>Healthy students from Bar-Ilan University | Device: Magnetoencephalograph (MEG)<br>* Conducting a brain scan during a series of perceptual and linguistic tasks<br>|
| Schizophrenic patients' relatives<br>Healthy family members (parents or siblings) of the schizophrenic participants (chronic and naive) | Device: Magnetoencephalograph (MEG)<br>* Conducting a brain scan during a series of perceptual and linguistic tasks<br>|
| Naive schizophrenic patients<br>Naive patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, a history of only one psychotic episode and un-medicated | Device: Magnetoencephalograph (MEG)<br>* Conducting a brain scan during a series of perceptual and linguistic tasks<br>|
| Chronic schizophrenia patients<br>Chronic patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a history of more than one psychotic episode | Device: Magnetoencephalograph (MEG)<br>* Conducting a brain scan during a series of perceptual and linguistic tasks<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Magnetic field amplitude and source |  | 45 minutes |