Jared Lee Loughner, the suspect accused of wounding Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and killing six others in a deadly shooting rampage in Tuscon earlier this year, may be mentally competent to stand trial in eight months, his psychologist testified in court on Wednesday.

Thirteen bystanders were wounded during the attack for which Loughner is to stand trial as soon as he is found to be mentally competent to do so.

Yesterday's hearing was the latest in a series of court appearances in which his treatment for schizophrenia and severe behavior problems is monitored.

"There's reason to be optimistic he will recover and be able to assist in his case," U.S. District Judge Larry Burns said, according to Time Magazine. "The court finds that measurable progress has been made."

Loughner was present in the Tuscon federal courthoue where the hearing occured.

The Associated Press reports:

Loughner sat with his attorneys and listened quietly to the proceedings. He looked thin and pale and was wearing a white T-shirt and khaki-colored prison pants. He had closely cropped hair and sideburns, and his wrists and ankles were shackled.

As the hearing dragged on, Loughner swiveled back and forth in his chair at times, and sighed as the talk turned to video surveillance of the shooting and later his delusions. But for the most part, he sat still and expressionless.

Loughner's calm appearance this week is in stark contract to his bizarre appearance in May, when NPR reports he told the court, "Thank you for the free kill. She died in front of me. Your cheesiness."

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