Determining the Role of Social Reward Learning in Social Anhedonia

ConditionPsychosis
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-35
SponsorUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham

About this trial

This is a clinical trial study that aims to evaluate the specificity of the relationship between reduced sensitivity to social reward and social anhedonia at both behavioral and neural levels. Individuals who recently experienced their first-episode psychosis will be recruited. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to motivational interviewing or a time- and format-matched control probe. At pre- and post-probe, participants will perform two social reward learning tasks in the scanner. With this design feature, we will examine the relationship between sensitivity to social reward and reduced subjective experience of social pleasure at both the behavioral and neural levels.

Eligibility criteria

Qualifiers

Age 18-35 years

A first episode of a psychotic illness that began within the past three years

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizophreniform, or schizoaffective disorder

Taking 2nd generation antipsychotic medications

Disqualifiers

No evidence that substance use makes the diagnosis ambiguous (rule out substance-induced psychosis)

No evidence of moderate or severe alcohol or substance use disorder in the past 3 months

No clinically significant disease based on medical history (e.g., epilepsy) or significant head injury

For females: no current pregnancy

Trial design

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Nutrition Didactic Training

Treatment groups

152 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups

Sponsors and collaborators

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Lead sponsor

University of California, Los Angeles

Collaborator

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator