Role of Inferior Colliculi in Auditory Hallucinations

NCT07003529 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: NIMAO2024-2/MP-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The neural basis of auditory hallucinations (AH) in patients with schizophrenia is poorly characterized. Functional imaging studies investigate either the "state" dimension (i.e., the measurement of changes in brain area activation at the precise moment of AH onset) or the "trait" dimension (i.e., the neural correlates of the propensity to hallucinate). A corollary of AH (particularly acoustic-verbal) is the activation of brain regions involved in the auditory perception of speech (auditory cortex). One theory is that patients with schizophrenia with AH may have a deficit in processing their internal speech (i.e., external attribution to internal verbal content). However, there is little clinical data on the specific role of the mesencephalic region of the inferior colliculi (IC) in the formation of these symptoms. Preliminary research has shown intense expression of dopamine D2 receptors, particularly on glutamatergic neurons in mouse ICs. Thus, ICs receive numerous inhibitory dopaminergic inputs, likely involved in signal optimization and modulation. The study authors hypothesize that AHs are the result of a defect in signal inhibition by the IC, which lose their function as perceptual filters.

Conditions

Schizophrenia; Hallucinations, Auditory

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Resting state of functional connectivity of the inferior colliculi region with other regions of the auditory network between groups

  Measured by MRI

  Day 0

• Default mode network patterns between groups

  Measured by MRI

  Day 0

Secondary Outcomes (11)

• Neuronal activation in the ICs during exposure to auditory stimuli between groups

  Day 0

• Per-auditory activation in other brain areas between groups

  Day 0

• IC metabolite composition between the groups

  Day 0

• Structural connectivity via white matter between ICs and other auditory network structures between groups

  Day 0

• Correlation between BOLD signal and psychopathological symptoms

  Day 0

Study Arms (2)

Patient Group (SCZ+/AH+)

EXPERIMENTAL

schizophrenic patients experiencing auditory hallucinations

Other: Unenhanced brain MRI

Control Group (SCZ+/AH-)

EXPERIMENTAL

schizophrenic patients without hallucinations

Other: Unenhanced brain MRI

Interventions

Unenhanced brain MRI OTHER

Unenhanced brain MRI in five sequences: 1) T1-weighted anatomical sequences 2) Resting-state functional sequences 3) Task-based functional sequence 4) Structural sequence using Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) 5) Routine magnetic resonance spectroscopy sequence

Control Group (SCZ+/AH-); Patient Group (SCZ+/AH+)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• The patient must have given their free and informed consent and signed the consent form
• The patient must be a member or beneficiary of a health insurance plan
• DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenic disorder (based on clinical assessment and confirmed by the MINI 7.0 interview)
• Patient with a schizophrenic disorder lasting ≤ 20 years
• Patient treated in a psychiatric unit as an inpatient (in non-specialized care) or outpatient or under a mandatory ambulatory psychiatric care programme
• Clinical condition compatible with imaging based on clinical judgment
• Ability to understand, write, and read French
• Patient with a PANSS score (question P3 regarding hallucinations) = 1) AND having not experienced any hallucinations in the past 15 days.

You may not qualify if:

• The patient is under safeguard of justice or state guardianship
• Contraindications to magnetic resonance imaging, including severe claustrophobia, based on clinical judgment.
• Congenital or acquired deafness
• Suicide risk, based on clinical judgment
• Patient with moderate to severe intellectual disability, based on medical records
• Patient with moderate to severe neurocognitive disorders, based on medical records
• Patient receiving anticholinergic therapy (biperiden-Akineton, trihexyphenidyl-Artane, tropatepine-Lepticur)
• Person under judicial protection
• Pregnant, parturient, or breastfeeding woman
• Person unable to express consent

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nīmes: lead

Study Sites (1)

CHU de Nîmes, Hôpital Universitaire Carémeau

Nîmes, 30029, France

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Schizophrenia; Hallucinations

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders; Mental Disorders; Perceptual Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Martin Pastre

  CHU de Nimes

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Martin Pastre

CONTACT

06 95 55 68 80; matinpastre@gmail.com

Study Design

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

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 20, 2025
• First Posted: June 4, 2025
• Study Start: September 12, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Last Updated: December 9, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Locations

FR (1)