Brain training may reshape brain chemistry in schizophrenia

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: All participants (healthy control and SZ): * Age: 18-79 * Have given written informed consent * Be able to read and write in English * General health status: Participants should be in good general physical health (no major neurological disorder or head injury with prolonged unconsciousness, and no current moderate or severe substance use disorder) * Geographic location: Minnesota counties that are approximately within 1 hour driving distance to Twin Cities, including, but not limited to, Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington, Anoka, Wright, Carver, Scott, Dakota, Sherburn * Agree to refrain from using recreational drugs for 1 week prior to each scanning session, including, but not limited to, marijuana For people with schizophrenia (SZ): * Current DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Participants should be in stable psychiatric health, evidenced by no suicide attempt or psychiatric hospitalization within the past 1 month. (Initial diagnosis will be assessed using SCID 5 or MINI-7, and confirmation of ongoing SZ status and symptom changes will be monitored at each major timepoint using BPRS.) * All SZ must have achieved clinical stability, defined as outpatient status for at least one month prior to study participation, plus stable doses of psychiatric medications for at least 1 month prior to study participation (as reported by participants and confirmed via medication list (procured by participants via their own medical or pharmacy records) and/or current pill bottle labels). * All participants should have symptom ratings below a rating of 7 "extremely severe" on a severity scale of 1-7 on the BPRS and/or below grade 3 on longitudinal assessment defined by (as determined by the PI): * Grade 1: Worsening of 1 point on any item within each BPRS factor * Grade 2: Worsening of 2 points on any item within each BPRS factor * Grade 3: Worsening of 3+ points on any item within each BPRS factor, or a change to a rating of extremely severe * Grade 4: Suicide attempt with intent to die Exclusion Criteria: Exclusion criteria for both groups are: * Presence of major neurological disorder * Conditions preventing MR scanning or other MRI contraindications: Implanted devices or ferromagnetic objects, current pregnancy (positive pregnancy test on day of MRI scanning or currently breast-feeding), etc. Significant movement disorders including tardive dyskinesia that could disrupt MRI and MRS recordings. Medically significant condition considered unsuitable for the current study (e.g., epilepsy, etc.) * Estimated IQ \< 70 * Other relevant comorbidity (e.g., epilepsy, developmental disability) or visual impairment * Presence of current substance use disorder (moderate or severe; excluding caffeine and nicotine), as measured by the MINI-7 or SCID 5 based on DSM-5 criteria. For healthy controls, additionally: * Personal or immediate first-degree family history of a psychotic or mood disorder. Specifically, current or past history of meeting DSM-5 criteria for schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorders, or Bipolar I or II Disorder, major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, dysthymic disorder. Those with a first or second-degree relative with a current or past history of meeting DSM-5 criteria for schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders or bipolar I or II disorder, because they might have an underlying genetic susceptibility for psychosis symptoms. * Presence of symptoms of the following DSM-5 disorders (as assessed by the MINI-7 or SCID 5): * Major Depressive Episode * Suicidality * Manic and Hypomanic Episodes * Panic disorder * Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder * Posttraumatic Stress Disorder * Alcohol Use Disorder * Substance Use Disorder (Non-Alcoholic) * Psychotic Disorders and Mood Disorders with Psychotic Features * Medication or substance induced psychosis * Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) * MDD with Psychotic Features * Bipolar I * Bipolar II * Other Specified Bipolar and Related Disorder