Effects of Brain Stimulation on Cognition, Oscillations and GABA Levels in Schizophrenia (NCT04267003)
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Studies of Cognition, Oscillations and GABA Levels in Schizophrenia
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
People with schizophrenia often have problems with attention, learning and memory and other cognitive abilities that interfere with their work and school performance. Unfortunately, even our best treatments often do not significantly reduce these cognitive problems. The current study investigates whether or not delivering a very small electrical current to people's foreheads (called, transcranial direct current stimulation; (tDCS)) might improve functioning in the front part of the brain and reduce these cognitive problems in people with schizophrenia. tDCS is non-invasive and has been shown to improve cognitive functioning in some preliminary studies. The current study will investigate whether giving tDCS during a task is more effective than giving it during rest (Aim 1), whether delivery of tDCS to the front of the head is more effective than delivery to the back of the head (Aim 2), and whether tDCS delivery will alter levels of a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain (GABA; Aim 3) that is important to cognitive functioning and may be disrupted in people with schizophrenia. Although this study is not intended to diagnose, cure or treat schizophrenia or any other disease, if results are positive it will encourage future large-scale studies to determine if tDCS can become an effective treatment for cognitive problems in people with schizophrenia.
Who can join: Review the eligibility criteria below.
Location: Imaging Research Center — Sacramento, California
Age range: 18 Years to 47 Years
🧪 Interventions in This Study
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistFull eligibility criteria are available on the official NIH protocol. View the criteria ↗
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)
- Imaging Research Center — Sacramento, California
📞 Contact the Study Coordinator
Phone: (916) 734-8779
Email: mebainbridge@ucdavis.edu
Coordinator details come directly from the registered NIH protocol. Confirm the study is still recruiting before traveling.
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.
More studies in Schizophrenia
- Young Adults With Violent Behavior During Early Psychosis (Aim 2) — New York, New York
- Does tDCS Change Synaptic Density in the Brains of Patients With Schizophrenia — Toronto, Ontario
- Ketogenic Diet in People With Schizophrenia — Catonsville, Maryland
- Paired Associative Stimulation in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Patients With Schizophrenia — Toronto, Ontario
- Investigating the Muscarinic System in Schizophrenia Using Positron Emission Tomography — Toronto, Ontario
- Long-Term Real-World Safety of Cobenfy in Adults With Schizophrenia — Suwanee, Georgia
Explore by condition: All Schizophrenia clinical trials
💡 How to Participate
- Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
- Contact the study coordinator using the phone/email above.
- Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
- Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.