Phase 4 Schizophrenia Trial, Recruiting
Who may be able to join
AI generated eligibility summary. Written by an AI model from the official source data and checked on a sample basis. It can contain mistakes, so confirm anything important against the original source. How we use AI
Who might be able to join this trial:
For people with a psychiatric diagnosis:
- You have been formally diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, confirmed through a structured medical interview
- You have been prescribed the medication benztropine or trihexyphenidyl for at least 6 months
- You are between 40 and 70 years old
- You score 3 or higher on a specific scale that measures the anticholinergic effects of your medications (confirm with trial site)
- You have mild or no movement-related side effects from your medication, as assessed by your care team
- You are willing and able to give your informed consent to participate
For healthy volunteers (comparison group):
- You are between 40 and 70 years old
- You are willing and able to give your informed consent to participate
Who may not be able to join:
For people with a psychiatric diagnosis:
- You are experiencing serious side effects from anticholinergic medications, such as fever or severely blurred vision, that require immediate removal of those medications
- You have a serious neurological or medical condition affecting the brain, such as Parkinson's disease, dementia, multiple sclerosis, lupus, or a history of traumatic brain injury
- You are considered to be at significant risk of harming yourself or others
- You have difficulty with communication, understanding, or any other reason that would prevent you from giving informed consent
- You have a medical device such as a pacemaker or anything else that makes MRI scanning unsafe for you
- You currently have an active substance use disorder (however, if your substance use disorder is in remission, you may still be eligible — confirm with trial site)
- You are currently receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
For healthy volunteers:
- You have a history of psychotic illness or currently have an active psychiatric condition, as determined by a clinical interview
- You score higher than 1 on a scale measuring the anticholinergic effects of medications (confirm with trial site)
- You have anything that makes MRI scanning unsafe for you
- You have a neurological condition, a serious non-psychiatric illness that could affect brain function, or an intellectual disability
- You have a family history of psychosis
- You are currently taking anticholinergic medications for any reason
⚠️ Important: Always verify eligibility with the trial site directly before applying.
Based on publicly available eligibility criteria from ClinicalTrials.gov. Verify directly with the trial site before acting. This is not medical advice.
Contact this trial
Principal Investigator: Deepak K Sarpal, M.D., University of Pittsburgh
Phone: 4122465618
Contact details sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. Verify directly with the trial site before attending.
GP referral letter
Print a one-page summary to share with your doctor.
Trial details
Where this trial is recruiting
Primary endpoints
Change in cognitive performance; Change in scores on quality of life assessments.; Change in scores on functional outcome assessments.; change in brain functional connectivity.; change in activation of neurocognitive networks; Brain glutamate concentration
Can't join this trial?
Data last synced from ClinicalTrials.gov: 27 July 2026. Trial status can change. Always verify current status directly with the trial site before making any decision.