Can a gentle brain current quiet the voices of schizophrenia?
NCT ID NCT07798804
First seen Sep 01, 2026 · Last updated Sep 02, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers are testing whether a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called high-definition transcranial alternating current stimulation (HD-tACS) can change brain wave activity in people with schizophrenia who hear voices. The study compares patients with auditory hallucinations to healthy controls, measuring brain activity before and after brief stimulation sessions. The goal is to understand how different stimulation frequencies and intensities affect the brain, which could inform future treatments.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- high-definition transcranial alternating current stimulation (HD-tACS), a non-invasive brain stimulation device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a non-invasive brain stimulation approach to ease auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study focused on brain wave changes, not symptoms. The stimulation is brief, and any effect may not translate into lasting clinical benefit.
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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36 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Dec 2025
- Finished
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Feb 2026
- 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 65 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: * Age 18 to 65 years; * Meet the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5); * Adequate verbal communication skills; * At least one auditory hallucination episode within the past week; * Willing to participate in the study and able to complete all trial procedures. Exclusion Criteria: * History of neurological disorders, severe physical illness, traumatic brain injury, or craniotomy; * History of epileptic seizures or other neuropsychiatric disorders; * At risk for suicide, self-injury, or impulsive behavior.
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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
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Fuyang Mental Heath Center
Fuyang, China