RCT of tDCS Combined With Cognitive Training in Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
About this trial
This is an interventional basic science trial for Schizophrenia focused on measuring cognitive training, transcranial direct current stimulation, cognitive intervention, cognitive dysfunction, schizophrenia
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Participants aged 18-65 years old; and
- Being right handed; and
- Able to communicate in Cantonese; and
- With the diagnosis of schizophrenia meeting the diagnostic criteria of the World Health Organization's 10th version of the International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems (ICD-10). All diagnoses were ascertained at multidisciplinary team and endorsed by at least a consultant psychiatrist and a specialist in psychiatry in the clinical teams based in Tai Po Hospital.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Significant neurologic history such as dementia, stroke, seizure, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis; or
- History of brain neurosurgery; or
- Active abuse of alcohol or illicit substances; or
- Concurrent use of cognitive-enhancing medications e.g. acetylcholinesterase inhibitors; or
- Documented history of learning disability; or
- Implanted with pacemakers, intracranial electrodes, defibrillators, metal implants in head or neck area; or
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding; or
- Changes in medication regime over the two weeks before or during the study period (Brunoni, Ferrucci, et al., 2011).
Sites / Locations
- Department of Psychiatry, CUHK
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Sham Comparator
Active transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) + Cognitive training (CT)
Sham transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) + Cognitive training (CT)
Twenty-three participants received five treatment sessions of concurrent active tDCS and CT on five consecutive days. The participants received a ramp-up of 30 seconds, followed by active stimulation with a steady current of two milliamps for 20 minutes, then a ramp-down of 30 seconds.
Twenty-three participants received five treatment sessions of concurrent sham tDCS and CT on five consecutive days. The current was only delivered in the 30-second ramp-up and 30-second ramp-down periods.