HYEEG Discourse in Psychosis: A Neurobehavioural Study

This multimodal study explores the mechanisms underlying social dysfunction in individuals with schizophrenia. It focuses on the relationship between disorganized communication and social interaction, aiming to identify measurable markers of disorganized communication and link them to clinical symptoms and social functioning. Key Research Questions: How do neural and behavioural synchrony contribute to social impairments in schizophrenia? What roles do interbrain synchrony, motor imitation, reaction time, and verbal coherence play in disorganized communication? Participants will: 1. Engage in structured and semi-structured real-time social interactions while undergoing dual-brain electroencephalogram (EEG) hyperscanning to measure neural and behavioural activity. 2. Perform nonverbal tasks such as motor imitation and reaction time assessments to investigate coordination and behavioural synchrony patterns. 3. Participate in a clinical interview that evaluates verbal production, thought coherence, and speech organization. By combining these assessments, the study aims to advance our understanding of how social and communication impairments manifest in schizophrenia. The findings will contribute to developing improved diagnostic tools and targeted interventions, ultimately supporting patients in achieving better social functioning and quality of life.

NCT Number	NCT06978803
Lead Sponsor	Douglas Mental Health University Institute
Conditions	Psychosis, Schizophrenia Disorders
Enrollment	110 participants
Start Date	2024-01-16
Primary Completion	2025-10-22 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-12-31 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2025-05-18