RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Time and Virtual Reality in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

This study is looking into how people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder experience time. Many people with bipolar disorder feel time speeds up or slows down, while those with schizophrenia might feel time is broken into pieces. These experiences are thought to be linked to how a person sees themselves. Researchers are using fun, game-like virtual reality tasks to measure these differences. The aim is to see if measuring how people experience time can help predict who might be at risk of developing psychosis. The study will involve patients and healthy volunteers completing various virtual reality challenges while their brain activity is monitored.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, France

Enrolment target

120

Start

12 Aug 2021

Estimated completion

12 May 2027

Schizophrenia Bipolar Disorder

What is this study about?

Imagine you're waiting for something – does time fly by, or does it drag on forever? This study is all about how people experience the passing of time, especially those with conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. We know that these conditions can affect how someone feels about time, like feeling it's too fast or too slow, or even broken up.

Researchers believe these unique experiences of time might be linked to how a person understands who they are. By looking closely at these differences, scientists hope to find new ways to understand and perhaps even predict when someone might be at risk of developing serious mental health challenges.

To do this, the study uses virtual reality (VR) – like playing video games – to create fun and engaging ways to measure how people perceive time. You'll play games where you wait for targets to appear, and researchers will watch how quickly you react, if you make mistakes, and even your eye movements. They'll also measure your brain activity using a special cap with sensors (called an EEG), which is completely safe. This will help them see how different experiences of time affect both your behaviour and your brain.

Key takeaways

Exploring how mental health conditions affect time perception using VR.
Aims to improve understanding and potentially predict psychosis risk.
Involves safe virtual reality games and brain activity measurements (EEG).
Participation includes two study visits.
Open to people with schizophrenia/bipolar disorder and healthy volunteers.
Your involvement could help future research into mental health.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for both volunteers with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and healthy volunteers. You need to be between 18 and 60 years old. If you're a woman who could become pregnant, you'll need to have a negative pregnancy test and use birth control throughout the study.

For those with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, your diagnosis must meet specific criteria. You won't be able to join if you have certain other conditions like substance abuse issues, severe problems with your sight, a history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or borderline personality disorder, or other serious brain conditions. You also can't be taking certain medications like benzodiazepines, or have used cannabis recently.

Healthy volunteers should not have a history of major mental or brain illnesses or be taking medications for these conditions. Everyone must be able to understand and sign a consent form, which explains the study in detail.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you between 18 and 60 years old?
Do you have health insurance?
If you are a woman who could become pregnant, are you willing to have a pregnancy test and use birth control during the study?
Do you have a diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, or are you a healthy volunteer without these conditions?
Are you able to understand and sign a consent form?
Do you have any major communication or serious vision problems?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you join this study, you'll have two separate visits to the research centre. Each visit will involve playing different virtual reality games. These games will test how you experience time. For example, during one game, you might wait for a target to appear while watching moving stars, or while distracting images pop up.

Throughout these games, researchers will measure your reaction times, how accurate you are, and keep an eye on your eye movements. You'll also wear a special cap that measures your brain's electrical activity (EEG). This is comfortable and simply records brain waves, similar to how an ECG records heart activity. There are no medications involved in this study. The total duration of your involvement will be over these two experimental sessions, with no long-term follow-up.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study could help researchers gain a better understanding of how people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder experience time, which might lead to better ways to predict and support those at risk in the future. As with any study, there are some minor risks, such as feeling tired or experiencing discomfort from wearing the EEG cap, or from the VR immersion. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (1)

Services de Psychiatrie I et II - Pôle de Psychiatrie CHRU Strasbourg
Verified postcode
Strasbourg, France· Recruiting

Common questions

What is virtual reality (VR)?

VR is a computer-generated experience that can be similar to or completely different from the real world. In this study, it's used to create game-like tasks.

What is an EEG?

An EEG (electroencephalogram) is a safe and painless way to measure the electrical activity in your brain using sensors placed on your scalp. It helps researchers understand how your brain responds during the VR tasks.

Do I need to have a diagnosis of a mental health condition to participate?

No, the study needs both people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and healthy volunteers who do not have these conditions.

Will I receive any personal medical advice or treatment?

No, this study is for research purposes only and does not provide individual medical advice or treatment. You should continue to follow your usual medical care.

How long will each visit take?

The study involves two experimental sessions. The exact length of each session will be explained in detail when you consider joining, but they involve playing various VR games.

How to find out more

GIERSCH GIERSCH, Dr

anne.giersch@inserm.fr 33388116471 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.