Recruiting

How the brain uses energy in first-episode schizophrenia

Plain-English translation of NCT07309172 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated December 2025 · Translation generated July 2026 · How we translate trials

What is this trial?

Researchers want to understand how the brain uses a type of fuel called ketones in people who have just been diagnosed with schizophrenia. This study will take special pictures of your brain (called PET scans) before you start antipsychotic medication and again after a few weeks of treatment to see what changes. By comparing your brain scans to those of healthy volunteers, the researchers hope to learn more about how the medication affects brain energy and what happens in early schizophrenia.

Doctors still don't fully understand how antipsychotic medications change the way the brain uses energy, especially in people experiencing schizophrenia for the first time. This research could help doctors better understand the condition and improve how they treat it.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are between 18 and 35 years old
you have been diagnosed with schizophrenia for the first time
you have not taken antipsychotic medication before (or only taken very small amounts)
you are able to give informed consent to participate

You likely don't qualify if…

you have taken antipsychotic medications at standard doses for more than a couple of weeks in the past year
you are pregnant, have given birth in the last 6 months, or are breastfeeding
you have a medical condition like diabetes type 1, epilepsy, or a history of severe head trauma or stroke
you have metal in your body or severe fear of enclosed spaces that would prevent an MRI scan
you have acute suicidal thoughts or are in a clinical crisis

What participation looks like

If you join this study, you'll have your brain scanned using special imaging machines at the start (before beginning medication) and again after 4 to 8 weeks of treatment. You'll also complete some questionnaires and cognitive tests to help researchers understand your symptoms and thinking. A follow-up visit at 6 months will complete your participation. If you're in the healthy control group, you'll only need to come in once for a baseline brain scan.

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

Trial locations(1 site)

Denmark

Aarhus University Hospital, Psychosis Research Unit, Aarhus

View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov