Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder of the brain and is also one of the top ten disabling diseases. A common symptom of schizophrenia (SCZ) is hearing voices inside one's heads which others do not. Despite adequate medication, SCZ patients may continue to hear voices that are often rude or unfriendly and cause distress to the patients. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a safe, non-invasive brain stimulation technique that reduces 'hearing voices'. However, how and why add-on tDCS works is unclear. The brain can change itself in response to its environment; this is called neuroplasticity. tDCS possibly changes the brain's environment and/or enhances the brain's ability to respond favourably to its environment. This theory will be examined here by studying changes in brain functions before and after giving tDCS to schizophrenia patients hearing voices. The aim of this study is to examine the brain's neuroplasticity potential as the biological phenomena driving treatment effects of tDCS in Schizophrenia patients with clinically significant and persistent auditory verbal hallucinations. The secondary aims are to answer whether the brain's neuroplasticity potential in schizophrenia patients can predict their responsivity to tDCS treatment for auditory verbal hallucinations, and if chronicity of illness effects tDCS treatment response. The brain's neuroplasticity potential will be examined using neuroimaging and neurophysiological techniques that give information about the integrity of the brain's signal processing efficiency, the chemical concentration of certain bio-molecules within it, and how well different areas of the brain communicate with each other. With this information, the potential role of the brain's neuroplasticity potential in facilitating treatment effects of tDCS can be better understood. With this knowledge, it could be possible personalize tDCS treatment, profile tDCS responders and non-responders based on demographic and biological factors, and prescribe tDCS at the appropriate time within the illness course for maximal benefit to the SCZ patients.
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Neurophysiological Measure: Change in amplitude of N100-related waveforms
Timeframe: Baseline: Day-1, After single session of tDCS: Day-1, Day-6: After 10 sessions of RCT tDCS
Neuro-Chemical Measure: Change in concentration of glutamate-glutamine levels
Timeframe: Baseline: Day-1, Day-6: After 10 sessions of RCT tDCS
Neuro-haemodynamic Measure: Change in strength of resting-state-functional-connectivity among brain areas
Timeframe: Baseline: Day-1, Day-6: After 10 sessions of RCT tDCS
Clinical Measure: Change in auditory verbal hallucination score
Timeframe: Baseline: Day-1, Day-6: After 10 sessions of RCT tDCS, One month Follow-up, Three-months follow-up