D-serine and Cognitive Remediation in Schizophrenia

D-serine and Cognitive Remediation in Schizophrenia: Open Label Pilot

The investigators will test the effects of 3 days of D-serine (DSR) on auditory plasticity in a sensory based remediation (SBR) paradigm

We will enroll 8 subjects in an open label, three session pilot in patients will receive three sessions of tone matching SBR.

5 Subjects will receive D-serine (60mg/kg) taken 1x each week during the SBR sessions. Subjects will receive study drug 30 minutes prior to session.

3 subjects received no intervention

Inclusion criteria:

• 18 to 64 years old,
• IQ≥85 and
• estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) ≥60. All oral and depot antipsychotics (with the exception of clozapine) are allowable. Patients must be on their antipsychotic medication for 1 month and stable on dose of antipsychotic and adjunctive medications for 2 weeks prior to study entry.

Exclusion criteria:

• history of neurological visual or hearing impairment,
• active suicidal ideation on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS),
• current alcohol or drug abuse (<1 month) or substance dependence (<4 months). All women of child-bearing potential must have a negative urine pregnancy test at the baseline visit. We require an IQ of ≥85 to ensure that subjects will have a capacity to learn. In our cross-sectional studies, we have observed an IQ≥85 in over 90% of candidates, suggesting that this is not an overly restrictive criterion.