Zapping the brain during sleep may tweak rhythms tied to schizophrenia
NCT ID NCT07680114
First seen Jul 02, 2026 · Last updated Aug 11, 2026 · Updated 4 times
Summary
This study tests whether a non-invasive electrical brain stimulation technique called TES-TI can temporarily alter sleep spindles—brain rhythms often reduced in schizophrenia. Researchers will apply the stimulation during sleep in 20 people (half with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, half healthy controls) over two overnight lab visits. The goal is to see if targeting the thalamus can boost spindle activity, which may help understand the brain's role in the condition.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference (TES-TI)
- What this could lead to
- If this works, it could point toward a new way to improve sleep-related brain activity in people with schizophrenia, potentially aiding symptom management.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early feasibility study with only 20 participants. It tests a temporary effect during one night, so any changes may not last or translate into real-world benefits.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of Wisconsin
RECRUITINGMadison, Wisconsin, 53719, United States
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