Disorders of the Sense of Self and Physical Activity

Launched by UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, STRASBOURG, FRANCE · Feb 7, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at how physical activity can help people with schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and vestibular syndromes (balance disorders). The researchers believe that some of these patients struggle to stick with physical activity because of issues related to their sense of self, which affects how they perceive their own movements. The study will start by measuring these sense-of-self issues in participants, and then they will conduct a walking program designed to see how different environments impact their experience of physical activity. Participants may also have the chance to try a new technology using special goggles that may help improve their sensory experiences while walking.

To be eligible for the trial, participants must be aged between 18 and 60 and have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, or vestibular disorders. They should be able to understand the study's purpose and give consent, and they must meet certain health criteria, such as having good vision and a body mass index under 40. The trial is not yet recruiting participants, but when it begins, those who join can expect structured walking sessions and the opportunity to explore innovative ways to improve their physical activity experience.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• * Criteria common to all participants:
• • Men or women aged 18 to 60 inclusive
• • Subject affiliated to a health insurance scheme, beneficiary or beneficiary's beneficiary
• • Able to understand the aims and risks of the research, and to give informed consent
• • Visual acuity \> 0.7 on the Freiburg Vision Test (Bach 1996) due to the use of visual equipment
• • BMI (body mass index) \< 40 (due to cardiovascular risk).
• Patient-specific criteria:
• • With schizophrenia: criteria for schizophrenia as defined in the DSMV (American Psychiatric Association, 2015)
• • With borderline personality disorder: criteria for borderline personality disorder as defined in the DSMV (American Psychiatric Association, 2015)
• • With vestibular disorders: peripheral vestibular disorders established after otolaryngological examination
• Exclusion Criteria:
• * Criteria common to all participants:
• • Serious or unstabilized somatic pathology (including cardiovascular)
• • History likely to affect cerebral anatomy or to be linked to an abnormality (neonatal suffering, neurosurgical operation, comitiality, stroke...)
• • Presence of joint pain, likely to worsen after exercise
• • - Substance use disorders (as defined by DSM-IV TR)
• • 3D vision disorders as measured by the Wirt stereotest (depth perception at a disparity of at least 80'' arc)
• • Movement perception disorders (correct movement discrimination in less than 75% of trials (cf. § V-2.2)
• • History of general anaesthesia in the 3 months preceding the study
• • History of neurological disease
• • Impossibility of giving the subject informed information (subject in emergency situation)
• • Pregnancy declared by patient
• • Breast-feeding
• • Subject in exclusion period (determined by a previous or current study)
• • Subject hospitalized
• • Subject under court protection
• Exclusion criteria specific to control subjects or patients with vestibular syndrome:
• • History of major psychiatric pathology with current psychotropic medication (i.e., antidepressant, thymoregulator, antipsychotic)