Randomized Clinical Trial of Intensive Computer-based Cognitive Remediation in Recent-onset Schizophrenia

Participation in this study will last approximately 12 months and will involve individuals with recent-onset schizophrenia. All participants will undergo baseline assessments that will include an interview, written tests, blood draws, and electroencephalogram (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Participants will then be assigned randomly to receive treatment with either computerized neuroadaptive cognitive training or commercially available computer games. Participants will be asked to complete 60-minute sessions of their assigned treatments 5 days per week for 8 weeks. For participants receiving cognitive training, exercises will focus on improving speed and accuracy in the perception of and response to verbal and visuospatial targets. The 8 weeks of treatment will focus on targeted cognitive training (TCT). Participants assigned to practice computer games will play standard commercially available games, with no targeted response. Participants will repeat baseline assessments after the computer training and Month 6 of follow-up. The EEG and MRI will be repeated only at post training assessment visit. There will be a blood draw at Week 2 of treatment as well. After the Month 6 assessment, participants in the control condition will be offered an opportunity to complete an additional 8 weeks of computer training with different modules.