Developing Dual-channel Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulations Targeting Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia

Dual-channel Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulations Targeting Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia Patients: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Negative symptoms are core symptoms in schizophrenia which play an important role in clinical outcomes and impede patients to return to society. Anti-psychotic medicines have shown limited effect in improving negative symptoms and cognitive functioning, whereas non-invasive neuromodulations, i.e. , transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), have shown promising potentials. Recently new evidence of brain structural and functional alterations has been provided by neuroimaging studies. Brady RO et al. found cerebellar-prefrontal network connectivity was related to negative symptoms in schizophrenia. It provides clues for developing a new tACS protocol targeting improving negative symptoms, in which dual-channel high-density alternating current stimulations were delivered over both the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and cerebellum simultaneously.

Inclusion Criteria:

• meet the DSM-V diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia;
• present with prominent negative symptoms with PANSS-negative scores >20, at least one score of PANSS N1-N7 >3, and reductive ratio of PANSS-negative in the past two weeks before recruitment <10%;
• stable usage and dosage of anti-psychotic medicines in the past two weeks and during the tACS intervention.
• age within 18-60;
• illness duration >1year;
• education at least 6 years;
• written consent of receiving tACS intervention.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Meet any DSM-V diagnostic criteria of any other psychiatric disorders besides schizophrenia ;
• any history of alcohol or substance dependence in the past 3 months;
• any other major physical disease (i.e., Sensorimotor disorder, neurological disease);
• any metal implants or any other tACS contraindication.