How Social Isolation Affects Health as People with Schizophrenia Age

Plain-English translation of NCT07419321 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated February 2026 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

What is this trial?

Researchers at Mount Sinai are studying how loneliness and social isolation may affect the health of people with schizophrenia as they grow older. This is a long-term study that combines information collected from participants 20 to 30 years ago (when they were younger) with new health assessments today. By comparing how people's health has changed over decades, researchers hope to learn whether staying socially connected helps protect against age-related health problems in schizophrenia.

People with schizophrenia often experience social isolation, which can lead to serious physical and mental health problems. Very little is known about how this isolation affects health as people age, so this research aims to fill that gap and potentially identify ways to help.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, or a related condition
you are between 40 and 70 years old at the time you join
you participated in a previous research study between ages 20 and 55, at least 5 years ago
you speak the language used in your country well enough to understand study procedures
you have been clinically stable, with no hospitalizations in the past 3 months and no medication changes in the past 4 weeks

You likely don't qualify if…

you have a serious head injury history with loss of consciousness longer than 1 hour
you have an intellectual disability or very low IQ (below 70)
you are currently experiencing severe mood disorders, personality disorders, or autism spectrum disorder (for relatives only)
you have had changes to your psychiatric medications in the past 4 weeks

What participation looks like

You would complete follow-up assessments to help researchers understand your health, social connections, and how you've been doing since you last participated in research years ago. The study compares information collected from you long ago with new information gathered today, so researchers can see how your health and life circumstances have changed over time. Participation helps scientists learn whether social connections matter for healthy aging in schizophrenia.

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

Trial locations(4 sites)

United States

Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, Hartfort, Hartford, Connecticut

Netherlands

AUMC, University Hospital, Amsterdam, North Holland

Spain

Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon, Madrid

United Kingdom

King's College London, London

Key details

Sponsor

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Collaborators

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Yale University

Enrollment target

~650 participants

Started

January 2024

Primary completion

July 2026

This trial's estimated completion date has passed — the record may not be fully up to date.

Age range

40 Years – 70 Years

Last updated on clinicaltrials.gov in February 2026.

Contact the research team directly

Reach out to the team running this trial. Response times vary — some teams are faster than others.

Central contact

Eva Velthorst, PhD

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Interested in joining?

Tell us you're interested and we'll help connect you with the research team. We'll walk you through what to expect first — no email needed to get started.

View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov