Brain stimulation before computer training may sharpen memory and focus in schizophrenia
NCT ID NCT07273175
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether a mild electrical current applied to the scalp (tDCS) before computer-based cognitive training can improve thinking skills like memory and attention in people with schizophrenia. 120 adults aged 18-65 will receive either real or fake tDCS for 20 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of brain games, over 15 sessions in three weeks. Researchers will compare test scores and brain activity at the start, right after treatment, and 8 weeks later to see if the effects last.
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 it works, this could point toward a way to boost cognitive rehabilitation for people with schizophrenia, potentially improving memory, attention, and planning.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage study with 120 people, so results may not apply to everyone. The improvement might be small or not last long, and tDCS can cause mild side effects like tingling or headache.
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 120 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Oct 2023
- Expected to finish
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Dec 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 65 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: 1. Adults aged 18-65 years with schizophrenia diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) 2. Ability to provide informed consent for tDCS treatment and use of collected data for research purposes 3. Mentally stable, may receive pharmacological treatment Exclusion Criteria: 1. Contraindications to tDCS, including: Implanted electronic devices Metal implants in the head History of seizures Contact allergy to materials used for tDCS stimulation (electrodes) 2. Pregnancy 3. Head injury with loss of consciousness or neurosurgery performed within the previous six months 4. History of stroke, aneurysm, brain tumor, or other conditions causing increased intracranial pressure 5. Migraines 6. Substance abuse 7. Currently receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) Withdrawal criteria: participation will be discontinued if any of the following occur: Urgent medical issues Serious adverse events or side effects Participant unwillingness to continue in the trial
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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
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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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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Department of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotic Disorders
Lodz, Łódź Voivodeship, 92-216, Poland
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