Restoring Spindle and Thalamocortical Efficiency in Early-Course Schizophrenia Patients Using Auditory Stimulation

Inclusion Criteria: Early-course schizophrenia (EC-SCZ): 1. ages 18-40 years 2. current DSM-IV defined diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizophreniform or schizoaffective disorder, not drug-induced, with no previously reported psychotic episode 3. duration of ≤5 years from beginning of psychosis, defined by report of symptoms and/or history of treatment according to clinical guidelines employed in our University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) psychoses clinics in Pittsburgh 4. lifetime exposure to antipsychotic medications ≤5 years Healthy controls (HC): 1. ages 18-40 years 2. no lifetime history of psychiatric disorders 3. no first-degree family history of schizophrenia spectrum disorder or mood disorder with psychotic features. Exclusion Criteria: General exclusion criteria: 1. DSM-IV intellectual disability 2. significant head injury 3. medical illness affecting brain function or structure 4. pregnancy or postpartum (\<6 weeks after delivery or miscarriage) 5. significant neurological disorder (e.g. seizure disorder) 6. inability to provide informed consent 7. current or past co-morbidity for alcohol or psychoactive substance dependence 8. substance abuse other than cannabis and/or alcohol within the past one year For EC-SCZ: a) a psychotic illness with a temporal relation to substance use or head injury For healthy controls (HC): 1. difficult falling and/or staying asleep for more than half the nights of a week, on average 2. diagnosis of sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome 3. sleeping less than 5 hours or more than 10 hours daily, on average