Does Abnormal Insulin Action in the Brain Underlie Cognitive and Metabolic Dysfunction in Schizophrenia
Status:
Not yet recruiting
Trial end date:
2025-04-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Cognitive impairment (such as challenges in thinking and memory) is a core aspect of
schizophrenia (SCZ), contributing to disability and poor functional outcomes. Additionally,
almost half of the patients with SCZ are obese, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is 3-6
times higher, and life expectancy is lower by 15-20 years compared to the general population.
This is relevant as metabolic syndrome and diabetes are both associated with worse cognition
among SCZ patients. Recent work studying the relationships between metabolic health and
cognition has encouraged a new way of thinking about SCZ as both a metabolic and cognitive
disorder. Brain insulin is involved in several processes relevant to SCZ, and abnormal brain
insulin action may help explain both cognitive and metabolic abnormalities in patients with
SCZ, but this has not been examined previously. Glucose uptake in several brain regions
relevant to SCZ has been shown to be partially dependent on insulin. Therefore, in this
study, the researchers will measure glucose uptake in the brain using an
18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scan after an
intranasal insulin stimulus, and will compare this measure between patients with SCZ and
healthy controls.