Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Motor Function in Schizophrenia Patients and Individuals at Risk for Psychotic Onset

Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Motor Function in Schizophrenia Patients and Individuals at Risk for Psychotic Onset

The purposes of this research are to investigate (1) if schizophrenia patients and at-risk individuals present bradykinesia and dyskinesia and (2) if tDCS improves motor performance in schizophrenia patients and at-risk individuals. The first hypothesis is that both schizophrenia patients and at-risk individuals show bradykinesia and dyskinesia, and the motor symptoms are more severe in the former than the latter. The second hypothesis is that tDCS improves motor performance in schizophrenia patients and at-risk cases.

Inclusion Criteria for schizophrenia patients:

• a diagnosis of schizophrenia without other psychiatric diseases
• having stable psychotic symptoms
• a score of 22 or above in Hong Kong version Montreal Cognitive Assessment
• having no neurological diseases and no medical conditions that affect motor performance

No Exclusion Criteria.

Inclusion Criteria for at-risk individuals:

• a score of nine or above in the Chinese version of the 16-item Prodromal Questionnaire (CPQ-16)
• a score of 22 or above in Hong Kong version Montreal Cognitive Assessment
• having no diagnosis of psychiatric diseases
• having no neurological diseases and no medical conditions that affect motor performance

No Exclusion Criteria.

Inclusion Criteria for healthy controls:

• a score less than nine in CPQ-16
• a score of 22 or above in Hong Kong version Montreal Cognitive Assessment
• having no diagnosis of psychiatric diseases
• having no neurological diseases and no medical conditions that affect motor performance.

No Exclusion Criteria.