Remediation of Auditory Recognition in Schizophrenia With tDCS

Not Applicable

Completed

Interventions: Device: Sham Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
Device: Active Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
Behavioral: Control computer activities
Behavioral: Auditory Remediation

Brief Summary: The purpose of this study is to determine whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), when combined with different forms of computer based training, improves the ability to discriminate small differences between sounds in people diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

Detailed Description: This study uses an experimental procedure called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Little is known about how tDCS affects the brain or why some people diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder have trouble with certain kinds of hearing. This study is being done to see if an experimental computer training program, when combined with tDCS, can help people to hear better. In tDCS, a small amount of electricity is passed through electrodes placed on the head that is able to stimulate the brain. By stimulating the brain, the investigators believe that the functioning of the brain can be altered. This study will test whether such stimulation of the brain, when done with computer training, can improve hearing ability and if this improvement helps in other ways, like detecting changes in someone's tone of voice or understanding other people's emotions better. The data being collected aims to better understand how the brain processes sounds and how tDCS affects the brain.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

Serious neurological disorder or medical condition/ treatment known to affect the brain. Neurological Disorder that affects the central nervous system (CNS), such as epilepsy, neurodegenerative disorders, movement disorders and sensory disorders.
Current or past history (within the last 6 months) of substance abuse or dependence (excluding nicotine)
Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Taking anticholinergic medication (e.g. Cogentin, Thorazine, Clozaril, thioridazine)

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Auditory remediation with sham tDCS	Sham Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)	Auditory remediation program paired with sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for 30 minutes, 2-3 sessions per week
Control (computer games with sham tDCS)	Control computer activities	Non-remediation, control computer activities (e.g. games) with sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for 30 minutes, 2-3 sessions per week
Auditory remediation with active tDCS	Active Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)	Auditory remediation program paired with active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for 30 minutes, 2-3 sessions per week
Auditory remediation with active tDCS	Auditory Remediation	Auditory remediation program paired with active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for 30 minutes, 2-3 sessions per week
Control (computer games with sham tDCS)	Sham Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)	Non-remediation, control computer activities (e.g. games) with sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for 30 minutes, 2-3 sessions per week
Auditory remediation with sham tDCS	Auditory Remediation	Auditory remediation program paired with sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for 30 minutes, 2-3 sessions per week

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Auditory Tone Matching Task	Change in performance from Baseline at completion of training (week 16)	Ability to match tones following brief delay

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT)	Change in performance from Baseline at completion of training (week 16)	The TASIT is a measure of social cognition, theory of mind as reflected in the ability to detect lies/sarcasm while viewing social vignettes. Total scores range from 0-100% correct. Higher numbers (positive change) are considered better.
Auditory Emotion Recognition (AER) Task	Change in performance from Baseline at completion of training (week 16)	Ability to detect emotion based on tone of voice
ER-40	Change in performance from Baseline at completion of training (week 16)	Penn Emotion Recognition Test-40 Faces Version
Auditory Mismatch Negativity (MMN)	Change in performance from Baseline at completion of training (week 16)	Change in event related potentials (ERP) acquired during a task of auditory mismatch negativity (MMN), assessed with electroencephalography (EEG)