Auditory Localization in Schizophrenia

NCT06974513 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: 2025-A00469-40PRVR06
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Auditory sound localization is the ability to identify the position of a sound source in space. It is defined into 3 dimensions: by its position in azimuth, elevation and distance. If it is difficult to localize a sound source, it is possible to remove the localization ambiguity by interacting with the environment, in particular by changing one's position in relation to the source (e.g. by changing the orientation of the head). Patients with schizophrenia have difficulties to localize and discriminate sounds in space but it is still poorly explored. Additionally, deficits in auditory localization could underlie difficulties in source-monitoring (i.e., distinguish the source/origin of the information) reported in schizophrenia or deficits in auditory externalization (i.e., perception of sound outside the head). Furthermore, schizophrenia is characterized by cerebral abnormalities in the auditory cortex, manifesting as auditory processing disorders at different stages of the pathology. Auditory localization may therefore be impaired from the onset of a first psychotic episode (FEP). This early phase of the disease is also referred to as the "critical" period, as the chances of remission are highest and the response to treatment is best. However, the three-dimensional aspect of auditory perception and the behavioral exploration strategies used to localize a sound in the early stages of schizophrenia are still little studied.

Conditions

Auditory Perception

Keywords

Localization; Auditory perception; Source monitoring; Virtual reality

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Auditory localization performance in virtual reality

  an auditory localization task in virtual reality was design for this study. Sounds are presented in different localization on the horizontal and vertical planes. Participants performed two blocks (noise, silent background) divided into two conditions (localization with the fixed head or with the possibility of moving the head). Participants have to determine the localization of sound in space. The main outcome will be the perception performance corresponding to the directionality error (2Dd error in cm) in relation to the sound source.

  Baseline

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• The impact of head movements on auditory localization performance

  Baseline

• The impact of background noise on auditory localization performance

  Baseline

• Source-monitoring performance

  Baseline

• Performance on auditory externalization

  Baseline

• Performance on basic auditory tasks

  Baseline

Study Arms (2)

Patient group with a first episode psychosis

EXPERIMENTAL

Tasks will include an auditory localization task performed in virtual reality, a source-monitoring task, an externalization task and a battery of psychoacoustic tests.

Behavioral: cognitive experiments' session

Healthy control subjects

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Tasks will include an auditory localization task performed in virtual reality, a source-monitoring task, an externalization task and a battery of psychoacoustic tests.

Behavioral: cognitive experiments' session

Interventions

cognitive experiments' session BEHAVIORAL

The aim of this unique session of cognitive experiments is to study the auditory localization performance in patients with a first episode of psychosis. Results of this Arm 1 will be compared to those of Arm 2.

Healthy control subjects; Patient group with a first episode psychosis

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Informed of the study and having signed the consent form
• With normal vision (with or without correction)
• Able to understand the experimental instructions
• Affiliated to the social security system
• French language spoken, read and written

You may not qualify if:

• Patients with a DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder or brief psychotic disorder
• Early intervention for first psychotic episodes

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hôpital le Vinatier: lead

Study Sites (1)

Centre hospitalier le Vinatier

Bron, 69678, France

Location

Study Officials

• Frédéric HAESEBAERT, university professor

  hopital le Vinatier

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Lydie SARTELET, Sponsor project manager

CONTACT

0437915531; lydie.sartelet@ch-le-vinatier.fr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: 30 patients with a first episode psychosis and 30 healthy controls

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 29, 2025
• First Posted: May 16, 2025
• Study Start: June 30, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2028
• Last Updated: May 16, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Locations

FR (1)