Scientists use brain scans to unravel memory and emotion struggles in mental illness
NCT ID NCT04159662
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study uses brain imaging (fMRI) to investigate why people with schizophrenia or depression often have trouble with memory and managing emotions. Researchers will scan the brains of 90 adults aged 18-60 while they perform tasks and at rest. The goal is to better understand the brain mechanisms behind these cognitive problems, which can persist even after other symptoms improve.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could reveal how the brain causes thinking and memory problems in schizophrenia and depression, pointing toward new targets for future treatments.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational brain imaging study, not a treatment trial. It will not directly improve symptoms, and the findings may not lead to new therapies for years, if at all.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 90 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Dec 2019
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Individuals with an official diagnosis of: Schizophrenia, Schzioaffective or Major Depressive Disorders.
- Ages
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18 to 60 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * age 18-60 years * current Intelligence Quotient (IQ) \> 70 as measured by the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) * the ability to read and speak fluent English * a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective or major depression disorder * stable medication for more than one month Exclusion Criteria: * significant neurological or other medical disorders that may produce cognitive impairment * a recent history of substance abuse or dependence (within the past 3 months) * any magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contraindications (e.g. metallic head implant, history of seizure, pacemaker) * decisional incapacity requiring a guardian * taking medications that are rated as Anticholinergic Burden (ACB) Score 3 (severe) or taking benzodiazepines on a daily basis * Finally, participants could not be severely symptomatic at the time of study enrolment to ensure that they could understand and complete all study assessments. This criterion was defined as a score ≤34 on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS; Montgomery \& Åsberg, 1979) for the MDD group and a score ≤95 on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS; Kay et al., 1987) for the SZ group.
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Royal Ottawa Mental Health Center
RECRUITINGOttawa, Ontario, K1Z 7K4, Canada
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