A quick pill and an EEG may spot schizophrenia in hours, not years
NCT ID NCT03781115
First seen Jul 08, 2026 · Last updated Jul 09, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study explores whether people with schizophrenia resist the sedating effects of antipsychotic drugs like ziprasidone and olanzapine. Researchers give a single dose to both patients and healthy volunteers, then measure sleepiness, reflexes, and brain activity using EEG. If patients stay more alert than healthy people, those differences could form the basis of a rapid, low-cost diagnostic test for schizophrenia.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Ziprasidone (Geodon) and Olanzapine (Zyprexa) — antipsychotic drugs used as a single-dose diagnostic probe
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could lead to a simple, inexpensive diagnostic test for schizophrenia, reducing the months or years it often takes to get a clear diagnosis.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small early-phase study with only 24 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The test relies on subjective sleepiness scales and EEG changes, which may not be reliable enough for a definitive diagnosis.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Banner University Medical Center
Phoenix, Arizona, 85006, United States
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