Recruiting

Blood markers and thinking skills in first-episode schizophrenia

Plain-English translation of NCT07139171 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated September 2025 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

Read our Schizophrenia research guide →

What is this trial?

Researchers are studying tiny particles in blood called exosomes and their molecular contents to understand why people with early-stage schizophrenia experience problems with thinking, memory, and concentration. This study will compare blood samples and brain scans from 200 newly diagnosed patients (who are starting antipsychotic medication for the first time) with 100 healthy volunteers to identify biological markers that might predict who will improve cognitively and who won't. The goal is to eventually personalize treatment and design better strategies to help restore thinking skills.

Many people with schizophrenia struggle with cognitive problems that don't always improve with standard medication, and doctors have no reliable way to predict who will benefit cognitively from treatment. This research seeks to find biological fingerprints in the blood that could help identify these individuals early and guide more targeted, effective treatment approaches.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are between 18 and 65 years old
you have been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder (first episode) and are either medication-naïve or have taken antipsychotic medication for 4 weeks or less in your lifetime
you are of Han Chinese ethnicity
you are able to understand the study and willing to sign a consent form
for healthy volunteers: you have no personal history of mental illness and no family history of psychotic disorders in your parents, siblings, or grandparents

You likely don't qualify if…

you have serious physical health conditions such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, thyroid disease, or diabetes
you have been diagnosed with substance-induced psychosis, delusional disorder, brief psychotic disorder, or mood disorders with psychotic features
you are pregnant or breastfeeding
you have a medical or mental health condition that would prevent you from giving informed consent or completing study visits and procedures

What participation looks like

You will visit the research center at baseline (where you'll complete thinking and memory tests, have an MRI brain scan, and provide fasting blood and urine samples), and then return for follow-up visits at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. At each visit, you'll repeat the cognitive tests, have clinical assessments, and provide more blood and urine samples so researchers can track changes in your thinking skills and blood markers over time as you receive standard antipsychotic treatment. The entire study lasts 12 weeks.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 14, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(1 site)

China

Tianjin Anding Hospital, Tianjin