An interventional study of Double mirror device ALTER-EGO and EASE test in Psychosis of Childhood Borderline and Psychotic Disorder, sponsored by University Hospital, Brest. Recruiting at 1 site in France. Open to participants aged 15 Years to 25 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-19.
Sponsored by University Hospital, Brest · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
The main objective of this study is to establish whether there are differences in self-recognition and self/other distinction in subjects with psychological vulnerability compared to healthy volunteer controls.
This study is based on the properties of the double mirror "Alter Ego" which is a device that appears as a double-sided mirror surrounded by light diodes whose intensity can be varied. Thanks to this variation of luminosity, this special paradigm creates morphs between two real subjects seated on both sides, resulting in different faces, each morphed to a varying extent.
In this task, participants watch a double mirror in which a picture of their own face gradually transforms into the face of an unfamiliar other (self-to-other direction) or vice versa (other-to-self direction), and indicate at which point they judge the morph to look more like the target face than the starting face.
The comparison of the thresholds obtained by different individuals makes it possible to establish whether there could be differences between subjects with psychological vulnerability and healthy controls and to explore hypothetical links between self/other distinction abilities and symptoms of psychological vulnerability .
1,626 studies on the registry are indexed under Psychotic Disorders; 293 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 34 is below the median of 70 across 1,333 interventional studies indexed under Psychotic Disorders.
Browse Psychotic Disorders studies →University Hospital, Brest is the lead sponsor of 594 studies on the registry; 135 are open to participants now.
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Inclusion criteria for patients:
Inclusion criteria for healthy volunteers:
Exclusion Criteria for both patients and healthy volunteers:
Both patients and healthy volunteers arms will undergo the double mirror test within a day. But the patients arm will additionally respond to the EASE test.
Other: Double mirror device ALTER-EGO · Other: EASE test
Both patients and healthy volunteers arms will undergo the double mirror test within a day.
Other: Double mirror device ALTER-EGO
The patient and his matched healthy volunteer will be placed on each side of the double mirror device ALTER-EGO. Both sides will be lightened alternatively or at the same time by lights, so according to the light intensity, the subject will see himself in a mirror or the other person throw a classic window. The light intensity will vary from 0 to 100% and to 100% to 0% alternatively from each side of the mirror. At each 10% variation of one side, both patient and volunteer will have to answer that question : "who do you see more : him/her or yourself ?"
The patient will have to answer the EASE test which is a specific test to detect patient with high risk of psychosis or schizophrenia
Average of the three M1
Average of the three M1 thresholds obtained from the "round trip" manipulation repeated three times, the M1 threshold corresponding to the level of luminosity from which a subject begins to recognize himself when his own image gradually appears (during the passage of the condition glass in mirror condition).
Time frame: Inclusion
The average of the three M2
The average of the three M2 thresholds obtained from the "round trip" manipulation repeated three times, the M2 threshold corresponding to the level of brightness from which a subject ceases to recognize himself to recognize the other (passage of the mirror mode to window mode).
Time frame: Inclusion
Results to tests for early prodromal symptoms assessed by SPI-A (Schizophrenia Prediction Instrument for Adults)
• Hetero-questionnaire of SPI-A : intensity, type and frequency of symptoms : The answer "yes" to the COPER (Cognitive-Perceptive Basic Symptoms) and / or COGDIS (Cognitive Disturbances) criteria points to at risk mental state.
Time frame: Inclusion
Results to tests for early prodromal symptoms assessed by PQ16 (Prodromal Questionnaire - 16)
• Self-administered questionnaire PQ16 : intensity, type and frequency of symptoms : The minimum score is 0 and maximum 16 meaning a higher state of risk.
Time frame: Inclusion
Results to tests for early prodromal symptoms assessed by EASE(xamination of Anomalous Self-Experience)
• Self-experience anomalies evaluation scale : EASE, Parnas, 2003), until now not carried out as part of the routine monitoring of CEVUP (Consultation d'Evaluation de la VUlnérabilité Psychique = Psychic Vulnerability Assessment Consultation) patients : score between 0 and 57, the higher the score, the greater the risk of psychosis
Time frame: Inclusion
Results to tests for later prodromal symptoms
CAARMS (Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States) and its sub-assemblies : if the patient is at risk of psychosis, the test will classify this risk into one of the three following categories : group of trait and state risk factor, group of attenuated psychotic symptoms, group of BLIPS (Brief, Limited or Intermittent Psychotic Symptoms)
Time frame: Inclusion
Results to tests concerning the peculiarities of cognitive functioning (neuropsychological assessment) assessed by Wechsler scale
• Wechsler scale : neurocognitive assessment : Total intelligence quotient (between 60 and 140 approximately) Verbal comprehension index: 50 to 160 Perceptual reasoning index: 50 to 160 Working memory index: 50 to 160 Processing speed index: 50 to 160
Time frame: Inclusion
Results to social functioning test:
• Alterations in social functioning at SOFAS : Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale : score theoretically between 0 and 100%. The lower the score, the worse the subject's functioning and therefore the higher the vulnerability.
Time frame: Inclusion
Plan to share: Yes — All collected data that underlie results in a publication
Supporting information: Study protocol
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University Hospital, Brest