Scientists zap brains to unlock secrets of focus
NCT ID NCT04885322
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study uses a weak electrical current applied to the scalp (tDCS) to see if it can improve attention and cognitive control in healthy adults and people with schizophrenia. Participants will perform thinking tasks while their brain activity is measured with EEG. The goal is to understand how different brain regions contribute to focus and memory, not to treat any 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 direct current stimulation (tDCS)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help scientists understand how brain stimulation affects attention and thinking, potentially guiding future treatments for cognitive issues.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage basic research study, not a treatment trial. It may not lead to any direct medical benefit, and results may not apply to real-world settings.
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
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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
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About 75 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Apr 2021
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 50 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: * between ages of 18 and 50 * ability to sufficiently speak and understand English so as to be able to understand and complete cognitive tasks * ability to give valid informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * no history of head trauma * no current or previous history of treatment with psychotropic medication * corrected vision 20/30 or better * tDCS/MRI contraindications, including: pregnancy, ferrous metal in any part of the body, serious medical conditions, claustrophobia, metallic implants, skin damage, conditions such as eczema at electrode sites, cranial pathologies
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Imaging Research Center
RECRUITINGSacramento, California, 95817, United States
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