NCT01977521

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation as Treatment for Auditory Hallucinations

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation as Treatment for Auditory Hallucinations A Sham-controlled Trial

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 62 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Iris Sommer · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The present study aims to examine the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation on the severity of auditory hallucinations.

Detailed description

Rationale: Auditory hallucinations (AH) are a symptom of several psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia. In the majority of patients, these AH respond well to antipsychotic medication. Yet, a significant minority continues to experience frequent AH despite optimal pharmacotherapy and AH severely decrease quality of life in these patients. The number of alternative treatment options for this medication resistant group is currently low and most of them focus on coping with the hallucinations. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), in contrast, is a safe, non-invasive technique that is able to directly influence cortical excitability through the application of very low electric currents. This technique has only a few transient side-effects and is cheap and portable. To date, only one randomized controlled trial has been published, suggesting high efficacy of tDCS for the treatment of medication-resistant AH in a relatively small sample. We aim to replicate and extend these findings by investigating the efficacy of this technique in a larger sample.

Conditions

• Psychotic Disorders
• Mood Disorders
• Personality Disorders
• Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
• Hearing Disorders

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Eldith DC Stimulator stimulation	The anodal electrode will be placed with the middle of the electrode over a point midway between F3 and FP1 (left prefrontal cortex: dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the cathodal electrode located over a point midway between T3 and P3 (left temporo-parietal junction). Stimulation will consist of 2 mA for 20 minutes per session.
DEVICE	Eldith DC Stimulator sham stimulation	The anodal electrode will be placed with the middle of the electrode over a point midway between F3 and FP1 (left prefrontal cortex: dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the cathodal electrode located over a point midway between T3 and P3 (left temporo-parietal junction). In the sham condition, after 40 seconds of real stimulation (2 mA), only a small current pulse will occur every 550 msec (110 mA over 15 msec) through the remainder of the 20-minute period.

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-04-01
• Primary completion: 2018-02-01
• Completion: 2018-02-01
• First posted: 2013-11-06
• Last updated: 2017-05-03

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Netherlands