Protocol Number: 08-M-0211
Children with schizophrenia who meet the following criteria may be eligible for this study: - Are 10 yrs or older age. - Are participating in NIH protocol 03-M-0035. - Are on a stable medication regimen for at least 6 months. - Have problems with memory and attention span or have auditory hallucinations. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either real or sham TDCS on an inpatient or outpatient basis in 20-minute sessions daily, except weekends, for 10 days. For real TDCS, patients receive stimulation to the front of the brain. For sham stimulation, the children have electrodes placed on the forehead, but no actual stimulation is delivered. In addition to TDCS, patients have the following procedures: - Checks of blood pressure, pulse and breathing rate before, during and right after each stimulation and again 8 hours later. - Electrocardiogram (EKG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) before starting stimulation and after completing the 10 days of TDCS. - Interviews and examinations to check for side effects of TDCS. - Pen-and-paper or computer tests of learning, attention and memory. - At the end of the 10 sessions, children who were in the sham TDCS group are offered the same number of sessions of active TDCS. - Follow-up telephone call 1 month after the end of stimulation to see how the child is doing. - 1- to 2-day outpatient visit 6 months after the stimulation. This visit includes interviews with the parent and the child, rating of the child's psychiatric symptoms, and pen-and-paper or computer tests of thinking, attention and memory.
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National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland 20892. Last update: 01/30/2009
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