Pharmacological Approach to Improve the Outcome of Social Cognition Training

Summary

This study will evaluate whether oxytocin will facilitate the learning of social cognitive skills in schizophrenia patients who receive 12 sessions of Social Cognitive Skills Training (SCST). The primary hypothesis is that schizophrenia subjects who are treated with oxytocin will demonstrate greater improvements in a summary measure of social cognition than subjects treated with placebo over the course of SCST.

Timeline

Start

2012-01

Primary completion

2013-02

Completion

2013-02

Publications

• Background Marder SR, Wirshing WC, Mintz J, McKenzie J, Johnston K, Eckman TA, Lebell M, Zimmerman K, Liberman RP. Two-year outcome of social skills training and group psychotherapy for outpatients with schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry. 1996 Dec;153(12):1585-92. doi: 10.1176/ajp.153.12.1585.
• Background Horan WP, Kern RS, Tripp C, Hellemann G, Wynn JK, Bell M, Marder SR, Green MF. Efficacy and specificity of social cognitive skills training for outpatients with psychotic disorders. J Psychiatr Res. 2011 Aug;45(8):1113-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2011.01.015. Epub 2011 Mar 4.
• Background Heinrichs M, von Dawans B, Domes G. Oxytocin, vasopressin, and human social behavior. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2009 Oct;30(4):548-557. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2009.05.005. Epub 2009 Jun 6.
• Background Feifel D, Macdonald K, Nguyen A, Cobb P, Warlan H, Galangue B, Minassian A, Becker O, Cooper J, Perry W, Lefebvre M, Gonzales J, Hadley A. Adjunctive intranasal oxytocin reduces symptoms in schizophrenia patients. Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Oct 1;68(7):678-80. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.04.039. Epub 2010 Jul 7.

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