Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT01607840

Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Individuals With Schizophrenia

This research is being done to determine whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can improve certain mental abilities and alter functional connectivity in individuals with Schizophrenia. In this research, a 9 volt battery is used to deliver very weak electrical current to the surface of the scalp while participants complete cognitive tasks. Participants also receive a brain scan before and after stimulation. Our aim is to determine if tDCS can improve mental abilities in individuals with schizophrenia.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Schizophrenia Mental Disorders Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders

Age range

18 year–79 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Department of Neurology

Baltimore, Maryland, 21231, United States

About this study

Participants enrolled into this study may be asked to do the following:

Grant permission for the researchers to view medical records associated with their language/cognitive difficulties

Complete a questionnaire, provide a health history, and take some pencil-and-paper tests of problem-solving and memory in order to verify eligibility to participate and to able to safely undergo the experimental procedures.

Complete several tasks (e.g., saying words out loud, naming objects, drawing designs, remembering lists of words, searching for images or letters, and/or completing puzzles) based upon a number of cognitive functions such as language, memory, vision, processing, and perception.

Wear electrodes that will be placed on the scalp with a large rubberized band. These electrodes will administer very weak electrical current (tDCS) from a 9 volt battery for 20 to 60 minutes.

Participation in several study conditions. The exact conditions and their order will be randomized. Under some conditions, participants may receive active stimulation (tDCS) and under other conditions, they may receive sham stimulation.

The experimental sessions will last approximately 2 hours and participants may be asked to have more than one testing session in a day or to return for additional sessions.

Have a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) brain scan.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of Schizophrenia
  • English as a native language

Exclusion criteria

  • appreciable deficits in hearing or vision
  • appreciable accent
  • any implanted metal device or pacemaker
  • Dementia or Mini Mental Exam below 24
  • History of Seizures

Treatment and study plan

transcranial direct current stimulation

Procedure

delivery of transcranial direct current stimulation or sham for 20 to 60 minutes

Primary outcomes

  1. Cognitive Test Performance

    Time frame: The average time frame is approximately 2 hours

    Cognitive test performance by subjects will be evaluated upon completion of enrollment to determine if tDCS improved performance on cognitive tests.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Functional Connectivity Changes Associated with tDCS

    Time frame: Time frame is approximately 2 hours

    Pre- and post- stimulation MRI's will be conducted to determine if tDCS is associated with changes in neural activity.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Johns Hopkins University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2012
Primary completion
2014
Study completion
2014
First posted
May 30, 2012
Registry last updated
Sep 1, 2015

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.