Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and Hallucinations in Schizophrenia

Anodal & Cathodal tDCS for Treatment of Resistant Auditory Hallucinations in Schizophrenia

The purpose of this study is to determine whether trans Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is effective in the treatment of auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia.

The project will investigate the use of a novel technique, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. tDCS permit the application of an extremely weak continuous electrical current to the brain through an anode and a cathode applied on the scalp. Anodal stimulation appears to increase brain activity whereas cathodal stimulation has the opposite effect.

Using anodal & cathodal tDCS the investigators aimed to treat auditory hallucinations, a symptoms of schizophrenia. The investigators plan to apply tDCS such that it can simultaneously increased activity in the frontal brain areas and reduce activity over temporoparietal cortex, 2 areas involved in the physiopathology of the disease. Real active stimulation will be compare to a sham condition in 60 patients (30 in each group). 30 patients will be included in a French center (Hospital le Vinatier, sponsor of the study) and 30 in Tunisia (laboratory "vulnerability to psychosis" (Pr Gaha) à Monastir).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Schizophrenia according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual - DSM-IV
• Auditory verbal hallucinations for at least 6 weeks (despite antipsychotic drugs)
• Medication Resistance according to Kane et al., 1988
• Age between 18 and 50 years old
• Informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Concomitant major and unstable medical or neurologic illness
• Pregnant