Brain zaps for schizophrenia? new trial tests deep brain stimulation
NCT ID NCT07671261
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether deep brain stimulation (DBS) can help people with schizophrenia whose symptoms haven't improved with medication. First, doctors map the brain using electrodes to find the problem areas. Then, they implant a device that delivers mild electrical pulses to those spots. The trial involves 46 participants and will track symptom changes over 12 months.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- deep brain stimulation (DBS) device
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could offer a new treatment option for people with schizophrenia that hasn't improved with standard therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage trial with only 46 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Brain surgery carries risks like infection or bleeding, and the treatment may not work for all.
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 46 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2028
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 55 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 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: * Meets the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia. * Male or female, aged 18 to 55 years, with stable vital signs. * Currently presents with prominent psychotic symptoms, assessed as moderate or severe by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) or other equivalent scales. * Exhibits impaired social functioning, assessed as moderate or severe impairment by the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS) or other equivalent scales. * Has a history of sequential treatment with at least two antipsychotic medications of different chemical structures known for strong efficacy against positive symptoms. Treatment must have been at an adequate dose and for an adequate duration (continuous treatment at a therapeutic dose for more than 6 weeks per medication), with good treatment adherence. * Has been on a stable antipsychotic medication regimen for at least one month prior to enrollment. * Capable and willing to provide written informed consent. * Demonstrates good compliance and is able to cooperate with all follow-up procedures. Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosed with any psychiatric disorder other than schizophrenia. * Presence of a severe personality disorder. * History of severe neurological diseases, such as seizures or hemorrhagic stroke. * Presence of structural brain abnormalities. * Previous history of stereotactic neurosurgery. * Contraindications to general anesthesia or stereotactic neurosurgery. * Any current or anticipated condition-including medical, psychological, social, familial support, or geographical factors-that might compromise patient safety or interfere with successful participation in the study.
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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.
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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Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine
RECRUITINGShanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200025, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Mood-Boosting activities put to the test in schizophrenia
- Spotting psychosis early could change lives — a major study tests whether faster treatment leads to better recovery
- New support team aims to bridge the gap from hospital to mental health care for psychosis
- Brain training from home: could a smartphone app sharpen thinking in early psychosis?
- Could a common food preservative help treat Hard-to-Treat schizophrenia?