Massive brain study seeks clues to schizophrenia
NCT ID NCT00001486
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Sep 17, 2026 · Updated 8 times
Summary
This completed study from the National Institute of Mental Health looked at nearly 5,000 people with schizophrenia or related disorders, along with their siblings. The goal was to find genes linked to the illness and see how they affect brain function. This research helps scientists better understand and potentially treat or prevent schizophrenia in the future.
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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4,914 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jul 1995
- Lead sponsor
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A government research agency
The lead sponsor is the US National Institutes of Health.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Probands, healthy controls, siblings, parents
- Ages
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18 to 55 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/EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Inclusion criteria for Siblings (probands and unaffected siblings): * Probands must have a DSM IV-R diagnosis of schizophrenia,schizoaffective disorder, psychosis N.O.S. or schizophreniform disorder. * Probands and Siblings must be between the ages of 18 and 55 * Probands and Siblings must be free of major medical illnesses, but may have controlled hypertension, thyroid disease, or diabetes. * Probands and Siblings must have the cognitive ability to consent for themselves. Those who are judged to have the cognitive ability to consent for themselves at the time of participation, but do not have the legal capacity to consent for themselves may participate if the legal guardian /Legal authorized representative (LAR) provides consent by signing the informed consent form. * Fluency in English is required. Exclusion Criteria for Siblings (probands and unaffected siblings): * Seizure disorder, mental retardation, organic brain damage or other neurological disease. * History of any (excepting nicotine-related) DSM5-defined moderate to severe substance use disorder (or DSM-IV-defined substance dependence). * Cumulative lifetime history of any (excepting nicotine-related) DSM5-defined mild substance use disorder (or any DSM-IV-defined substance abuse), either in excess of 5 years total or not in remission for at least 6 months. * Head trauma with loss of consciousness over 5 minutes from all but genetic sampling. * Chemotherapy. * NIMH employees/staff and their immediate family members will be excluded from the study per NIMH policy Siblings who do not qualify for the 2-day or 1-day study, may participate in the limited phenotyping arm in which only a psychiatric interview and a blood draw for genetic analysis (SCID-DNA) will be performed, case control analysis or be included as part of a trio (one parent, one sibling, one patient) to study genetic transmission from parents to offsprings.. All parents are eligible for the study. Inclusion Criteria. Healthy Volunteers/Controls To be eligible for this research study, healthy volunteers must be: * Between the ages of 18 and 55 * Fluency in English is required Healthy Controls Exclusion Criteria: They will not be eligible if: * They have history of DSM IV-R psychiatric diagnosis or severe chronic medical illness at the time of the study. * They have a history of any (excepting nicotine-related) DSM5-defined moderate to severe substance use disorder (or DSM-IV-defined substance dependence). * They have a cumulative lifetime history of any (excepting nicotine-related) DSM5-defined mild substance use disorder (or any DSM-IV-defined substance abuse), either in excess of 5 years total or not in remission for at least 6 months. * They may not be eligible for the 2-day or 1-day study if they have a first-degree relative with history of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. However, they may be included in the SCID\_DNA or case control analyses. * Healthy volunteers must be free of learning disabilities. * NIMH employees/staff and their immediate family members will be excluded from the study per NIMH policy.
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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
Locations
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National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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