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Developing Dual-channel Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulations Targeting Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulations
Negative Symptoms
Schizophrenia
Interventions
Device: transcranial alternating current stimulation (NE Starstim)
Registration Number
NCT04859504
Lead Sponsor
Shanghai Mental Health Center
Brief Summary

Negative symptoms are core symptoms in schizophrenia which play an important role in clinical outcomes and impede patients to return to society. Anti-psychotic medicines have shown limited effect in improving negative symptoms and cognitive functioning, whereas non-invasive neuromodulations, i.e. , transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), have shown promising potentials. Recently new evidence of brain structural and functional alterations has been provided by neuroimaging studies. Brady RO et al. found cerebellar-prefrontal network connectivity was related to negative symptoms in schizophrenia. It provides clues for developing a new tACS protocol targeting improving negative symptoms, in which dual-channel high-density alternating current stimulations were delivered over both the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and cerebellum simultaneously.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
60
Inclusion Criteria
  • meet the DSM-V diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia;
  • present with prominent negative symptoms with PANSS-negative scores >20, at least one score of PANSS N1-N7 >3, and reductive ratio of PANSS-negative in the past two weeks before recruitment <10%;
  • stable usage and dosage of anti-psychotic medicines in the past two weeks and during the tACS intervention.
  • age within 18-60;
  • illness duration >1year;
  • education at least 6 years;
  • written consent of receiving tACS intervention.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Meet any DSM-V diagnostic criteria of any other psychiatric disorders besides schizophrenia ;
  • any history of alcohol or substance dependence in the past 3 months;
  • any other major physical disease (i.e., Sensorimotor disorder, neurological disease);
  • any metal implants or any other tACS contraindication.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Sham tACStranscranial alternating current stimulation (NE Starstim)Sham tACS will be also applied twice daily for 5 days.The parameters of tACS electrodes numbers, locations, and current duration are all the same with active tACS. But sham tACS begin with a fade in over 3s to the peak, followed immediately by no current stimulation for 20 minutes and a fade out of 3s.
Active tACStranscranial alternating current stimulation (NE Starstim)Active tACS will be applied twice daily for 5 days. In each session, dual-channel high-density theta(7Hz) tACS stimulations will be delivered over the right DLPFC (one anodal electrode at F4, between -1.2mA and 1.2 mA; two cathodal electrodes at AF4 and FC6, between -0.6mA and 0.6mA) and cerebellum (one anodal electrode at Oz, between -1 mA and 1mA; two cathodal electrodes at PO3 and PO4, between -0.5mA and 0.5mA) lasting 20 minutes.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
reductive ratio of PANSS-negative symptoms scoresAt 1 week and 3 weeks

differences of reductive ratio of PANSS-negative symptoms scores after between active and sham tACS

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
changes of PANSS total scoresAt 1 week and 3 weeks

changes of PANSS total scores before and after active or sham tACS

cognitive functioning changes using MCCBAt 1 week and 3 weeks

changes of MCCB scores before and after active or sham tACS

changes of P300 activityAt 1 week

changes of P300 activity at baseline and after 10-session tACS

changes of MMN activityAt 1 week

changes of MMN activity at baseline and after 10-session tACS

changes of power of resting-state EEG activityAt 1 day and 1 week

changes of power of resting-state EEG activity at baseline, after 1-session tACS and after 10-session tACS

centroid value from fNIRS recording before and after active or sham tACSAt 1 week

centroid value from fNIRS recording before and after active or sham tACS

Integral value from fNIRS recording before and after active or sham tACSAt 1 week

Intergral value from fNIRS recording before and after active or sham tACS

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Zhengjiang Mental Health Center

🇨🇳

Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China

Shanghai Mental Health Center

🇨🇳

Shanghai, Shanghai, China

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