Effects of tES Combined With Retrieval Practice on Semantic Memory in Patients With Schizophrenia

NCT06547996 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: No.2023025
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 72
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The semantic processing deficit stands as a central feature of cognitive abnormalities in schizophrenia. Both transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) and retrieval practice have been demonstrated as external techniques capable of ameliorating the semantic processing deficit in individuals with schizophrenia. The inquiry examines whether the combined effect of tES and retrieval practice, following tES intervention targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) in patients with schizophrenia, contributes to the preservation of semantic memory in these individuals. Investigators plan to recruit 60 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia from hospitals. Treatment is administered by two examiners, each patient receives transcranial electrical stimulation（2mA×20min） with simultaneous learning of word lists. Each participant of each stimulation type was involved in both learning conditions, meaning that all participants completed both retrieval and restudy learning and testing Subsequently, Investigators observed their immediate and delayed memory performance through tests.

Conditions

Schizophrenic Patients

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• The correct recall rate of word lists

  The correct recall rate of word lists was calculated for each subject by the experimental assistant.

  Immediate Test: 5minutes; Delayed Test: 24 hours

• Adjusted Ratio of Clustering (ARC)

  Free recall organization was measured by the Adjusted Ratio of Clustering (ARC) scores. ARC scores range from 1 to 1. A 0 score indicates a level of clustering similar to what would be expected by chance, and a score of 1 implies perfect clustering. Negative values of ARC scores mean atypical and uninterpretable recall patterns. For that reason, negative scores were excluded from analyses.

  Immediate Test: 5minutes; Delayed Test: 24 hours

Study Arms (3)

tDCS group

EXPERIMENTAL

In the tDCS group, the anode was placed over the left DLPFC (F3), and the cathode was placed over the contralateral supraorbital area (FP2). A direct current of 2mA was applied for 20 minutes during each stimulation session.

Device: tES-tDCS group

tACS group

EXPERIMENTAL

In the tACS group, the anode was placed in the F3 region of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and the cathode was placed in the right supraorbital region (Fp2), and the current used was 2 mA AC at 40 Hz, with a stimulation time of 20 min.

Device: tES-tACS group

sham group

SHAM COMPARATOR

In the sham group, the stimulation parameters, including the stimulation site and duration, were identical to those of the anodal group. However, during the 10-second ramp-up and ramp-down periods before and after stimulation, patients were unaware that the current was turned off.

Device: tES-sham group

Interventions

tES-tDCS group DEVICE

2mA/20mins/session

tDCS group

tES-tACS group DEVICE

2mA/40Hz/20mins/session

tACS group

tES-sham group DEVICE

0mA/20mins/session

sham group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Meeting the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5);
• Aged 18 years or older, regardless of gender, with an educational level of elementary school or above;
• All patients received stable-level antipsychotic medication treatment, were in a stable phase of disease treatment, able to understand the testing requirements, and cooperated to complete all research tasks;
• No history of neurological disorders or other serious physical illnesses, and no history of intellectual disability;
• No color blindness, color weakness, or other color vision impairments, with normal vision or corrected vision.

You may not qualify if:

• Clear cognitive impairment caused by somatic or cerebral organic lesions, such as cerebrovascular diseases, traumatic brain injury, etc;
• Individuals with mental disorders caused by substance dependence or abuse, or the use of psychoactive substances;
• History of brain injury or other central nervous system-related organic diseases;
• Individuals at significant risk of suicide or harming others;
• Participation in similar experiments in the past 30 days prior to baseline.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Northeast Normal University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Northwest Normal University

Lanzhou, Gansu, 730070, China

Location

Related Publications (6)

• Hoy KE, Whitty D, Bailey N, Fitzgerald PB. Preliminary investigation of the effects of gamma-tACS on working memory in schizophrenia. J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2016 Oct;123(10):1205-12. doi: 10.1007/s00702-016-1554-1. Epub 2016 Apr 26.

  PMID: 27116682 BACKGROUND

• Sreeraj VS, Shivakumar V, Sowmya S, Bose A, Nawani H, Narayanaswamy JC, Venkatasubramanian G. Online Theta Frequency Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation for Cognitive Remediation in Schizophrenia: A Case Report and Review of Literature. J ECT. 2019 Jun;35(2):139-143. doi: 10.1097/YCT.0000000000000523.

  PMID: 30024457 BACKGROUND

• Marko M, Cimrova B, Riecansky I. Neural theta oscillations support semantic memory retrieval. Sci Rep. 2019 Nov 27;9(1):17667. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-53813-y.

  PMID: 31776375 BACKGROUND

• Javadi AH, Cheng P. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) enhances reconsolidation of long-term memory. Brain Stimul. 2013 Jul;6(4):668-74. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2012.10.007. Epub 2012 Oct 31.

  PMID: 23137702 BACKGROUND

• Crossman M, Bartl G, Soerum R, Sandrini M. Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation over the posterior parietal cortex on episodic memory reconsolidation. Cortex. 2019 Dec;121:78-88. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.08.009. Epub 2019 Aug 28.

  PMID: 31550617 BACKGROUND

• McKay AP, McKenna PJ, Bentham P, Mortimer AM, Holbery A, Hodges JR. Semantic memory is impaired in schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry. 1996 Jun 1;39(11):929-37. doi: 10.1016/0006-3223(95)00250-2.

  PMID: 9162204 BACKGROUND

Study Officials

• Xiaofeng Ma, Professor

  Northwest Normal University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 3, 2024
• First Posted: August 12, 2024
• Study Start: August 30, 2024
• Primary Completion: September 30, 2024
• Study Completion: October 30, 2024
• Last Updated: November 15, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CN (1)