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The study, conducted by Sanofi Aventis, the world’s third-largest pharmaceutical company, seeks not only to study the cognitive impairments caused by the mental disorder, but also the effect of a new drug when taken alongside current medications.

“It’s actually a very unique study, because normally when you think of a Œdrug study,’ you normally associate that with stopping current treatments and taking a new medication or a placebo,” said Dr. Brian Bock, medical director for Sanofi Aventis. “And those current therapies have a place in the treatment of schizophrenia, but they also can contribute to those cognitive disorders. This is supplemental to current treatments.”

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that affects 1 percent of the population; currently, 3 million Americans are believed to suffer from the disorder, Bock said. Worldwide, approximately 25 million people are believed to be afflicted with schizophrenia, a disease that Bock said is often misunderstood.

“I think it’s important that people realize what schizophrenia is not,” he said. “When most laypeople think of schizophrenia, they think of split personalities. That is not what schizophrenia is.”

Schizophrenia is characterized by psychosis, meaning those afflicted with it can experience hallucinations, delusions and mood disorders. Cognitive impairments including lack of focus, low-working functions, difficulty paying attention and other effects, Bock said, often contribute to a low vocation rate among patients.

“The goal with the study is to check with improvement in cognitive functions in patients who are already taking medications for schizophrenia,” Bock said. “We’re adding our drug to their current medications.”

In the Shelby Township area, Leon Rubenfaer of Neuroscience Research Associates is hosting the study and currently seeking patients. To participate, candidates must be 18-65 years old, diagnosed with schizophrenia at or before age 35 and currently taking one of five medications for schizophrenia, which include olanzapine, risperidone/paliperidone, quetiapine or aripiprazole. Participants must also live within the community, as it is an outpatient study. Qualified study participants will receive all investigational medication and study-related care at no cost, and may also receive compensation for travel.

“Currently we’re still adding sites; we have 55 sites, 15 of which are in Canada,” Bock said. “Our goal is to get up to 698 candidates and right now we’re at about 200.”

If you or someone you know suffers from schizophrenia, call 888-988-6736. Further details about the study are also available at www.cognitivestudy.com