The purpose of this study is to determine whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), when combined with different forms of computer based training, improves the ability to discriminate small differences between sounds in people diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
This study uses an experimental procedure called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Little is known about how tDCS affects the brain or why some people diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder have trouble with certain kinds of hearing. This study is being done to see if an experimental computer training program, when combined with tDCS, can help people to hear better. In tDCS, a small amount of electricity is passed through electrodes placed on the head that is able to stimulate the brain. By stimulating the brain, the investigators believe that the functioning of the brain can be altered. This study will test whether such stimulation of the brain, when done with computer training, can improve hearing ability and if this improvement helps in other ways, like detecting changes in someone's tone of voice or understanding other people's emotions better. The data being collected aims to better understand how the brain processes sounds and how tDCS affects the brain.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
20
Active tDCS, where an extremely weak electric current passes through the brain
Sham (inactive or placebo) tDCS
Computer program designed to improve discrimination between sounds
New York State Psychiatric Institute
New York, New York, United States
Auditory Tone Matching Task
Ability to match tones following brief delay
Time frame: Change in performance from Baseline at completion of training (week 16)
Auditory Emotion Recognition (AER) Task
Ability to detect emotion based on tone of voice
Time frame: Change in performance from Baseline at completion of training (week 16)
ER-40
Penn Emotion Recognition Test-40 Faces Version
Time frame: Change in performance from Baseline at completion of training (week 16)
The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT)
The TASIT is a measure of social cognition, theory of mind as reflected in the ability to detect lies/sarcasm while viewing social vignettes. Total scores range from 0-100% correct. Higher numbers (positive change) are considered better.
Time frame: Change in performance from Baseline at completion of training (week 16)
Auditory Mismatch Negativity (MMN)
Change in event related potentials (ERP) acquired during a task of auditory mismatch negativity (MMN), assessed with electroencephalography (EEG)
Time frame: Change in performance from Baseline at completion of training (week 16)
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Computer program (e.g. games), which are not designed to improve discrimination between sounds