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Brain zaps at personal brain rhythms may sharpen memory in schizophrenia

NCT ID NCT07701343

Disease control Sponsor: Central South University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 14, 2026 · Last updated Jul 15, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether a gentle, non-invasive brain stimulation technique called transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can improve working memory in people with schizophrenia. Thirty participants receive both real and sham stimulation in separate sessions while performing a memory task. The stimulation is personalized to each person's natural brain rhythm and targets areas involved in memory.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) — a non-invasive brain stimulation device delivering weak electrical currents at individual alpha frequency to the scalp during a working memory task
What this could lead to
If effective, this approach could offer a non-drug, brain-stimulation method to improve working memory in schizophrenia, potentially enhancing daily functioning.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage trial with only 30 participants and single sessions, so results may not generalize or show lasting benefit. The effect may be subtle or absent.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 30 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Jul 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 50 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18-50 years, meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia, confirmed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5). * Spatial span T-score \<40 on the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). * Taking 1-2 antipsychotic medications, with stable dosage for at least 1 week prior to enrollment. No use of mood stabilizers, antidepressants, or excessive benzodiazepines (lorazepam equivalent \>2 mg/day). The type and dosage of antipsychotic medications remain unchanged during the treatment period. * Impaired functioning in daily activities. * Willing to participate in this study and provide written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Previously diagnosed with or comorbid any other DSM-5 mental disorder besides schizophrenia. * Presence of significant mood symptoms or substance use disorder (other than caffeine and/or tobacco). * Presence of any contraindication to transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). * Received other forms of electrical or magnetic stimulation therapy within 1 month prior to enrollment. * History or current presence of any major physical illness, neurological disorder, or traumatic brain injury that may affect brain structure or function. * Pregnant or breastfeeding women, or women planning to become pregnant during the study period.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

schizophrenia

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Schizophrenia Working memory

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

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    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University

    RECRUITING

    Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China

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