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A gentle brain zap might boost medication adherence in schizophrenia

NCT ID NCT04033679

Disease control Sponsor: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
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 This study
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Aug 25, 2026 · Last updated Aug 26, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation method, can improve how consistently people with schizophrenia take their antipsychotic medication. Participants will receive either active tDCS or a sham (inactive) version over 20 sessions, and their medication adherence will be tracked through pill counts, blood tests, and clinician ratings. The goal is to see if this gentle brain stimulation can help address the common problem of medication nonadherence in schizophrenia.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique
What this could lead to
If it works, tDCS could become a safe add-on to help people with schizophrenia take their medication regularly, potentially improving their long-term stability and quality of life.
What could go wrong
This is an early-stage trial with a modest number of participants, and the effect on medication adherence is uncertain. tDCS is generally well-tolerated but may cause mild discomfort or skin irritation at the electrode sites.

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 106 people

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

Started

Aug 2019

Expected to finish

Mar 2027

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 years and older

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: 1. Male or female participants of any race or ethnicity 2. Inpatients or outpatients ≥18 years of age 3. DSM-V diagnosis of SCZ or schizoaffective disorder 4. Capable of consenting to participate in the research study 5. On a stable dose of antipsychotic drug and other concomitant medications for at least 2 months, and unlikely to undergo changes in dose during the study Exclusion Criteria: 1. Unwilling or incapable to consent to the study based on the MacArthur Test of Competence 2. Unstable medical or any concomitant major medical or neurological illness, including a history of seizures 3. Acute suicidal or homicidal ideation 4. Formal thought disorder rating ≥3 on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) P2 conceptual disorganization item 5. DSM-V substance dependence (except caffeine and nicotine) within 1 month of entering the study\* 6. Positive urine drug screen except for cannabis/marijuana at the screening visit 7. Metal implants or pacemaker precluding an MRI scan or other contraindications to MRI (eg., claustrophobia) 8. Pregnancy 9. Score \< 32 on the Wide Range Achievement Test-III * Substance misuse: In addition to impaired insight, substance misuse is one of the principle contributors to medication nonadherence. To minimize the possibility of its influence, participants with a DSM-V diagnosis of substance dependence within 1 month of entering the study or a positive urine drug test (except for cannabis/marijuana) at the screening visit will be excluded. Substance use and urine drug screens will be assessed at subsequent study visits.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Medication Adherence Psychotic Disorders schizoaffective disorder schizophrenia

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Schizophrenia;schizoaffective

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

    Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1R8, Canada

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