Neurofeedback treatment of auditory verbal hallucinations

Neurofeedback treatment of auditory verbal hallucinations: a randomized placebo controlled pilot study

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN23930628

Enrollment

Registered

2014-02-10

Start date

2014-01-30

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2019-02-11

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Schizophrenia patients (ICD-10: F20 and/or F25) with auditory verbal hallucinations Mental and Behavioural Disorders Schizophrenia

Interventions

30 patients with auditory verbal hallucinations will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: 15 patients in the intervention group 15 in a placebo group

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Male and female, age 18-45 years 2. ICD-10: in-patients of the University Hospital of Psychiatry in Bern with schizophrenia (F20) or schizoaffective disorder (F25) , prone to AVH in the acute phases of the disorder (the medication has to be stable during the training as defined in the exclusion criteria) 3. AVH in the present phase of disorder 4. Able to give written informed consent and to participate in 2 weeks of NFB training

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Psychiatric or neurologic disease (except for ICD-10: F20/F25) 2. Hearing problems 3. Vision problems (uncorrected) 4. Substance abuse during the previous 2 weeks (except THC) 5. Change in medication (type and quantity) during the 2 weeks of training 6. Pregnancy and nursing mothers 7. Suicidal risk 8. Not capable of judgment or capacity to consent

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Individual difference in the post-pre (last-first session) comparison of the PsyRats-Auditory Hallucinations Subscale will be compared between treatment and placebo group. Comparison 1st vs. 20th session.	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. The ability to modulate the N100 component (with feedback) within session, in the training against the placebo group. Every single session will be compared in both groups (session 1-20) 2. A learning effect, i.e. an increase of modulation of the N100 across sessions, in the training against the placebo group will be calculated with a regression analysis. The training will take place over two weeks every day from Monday to Friday with 2 sessions a day 3. A transfer effect, showing that participants in the training group can modulate the N100 component without feedback. Comparison 1st vs. 20th session. 4. A change in the psychopathology of the positive symptoms, the subjective controllability and well being is assessed. After each session a questionnaire will be filled out (1-20 comparison).	—

Measure

Time frame

1. The ability to modulate the N100 component (with feedback) within session, in the training against the placebo group. Every single session will be compared in both groups (session 1-20) 2. A learning effect, i.e. an increase of modulation of the N100 across sessions, in the training against the placebo group will be calculated with a regression analysis. The training will take place over two weeks every day from Monday to Friday with 2 sessions a day 3. A transfer effect, showing that participants in the training group can modulate the N100 component without feedback. Comparison 1st vs. 20th session. 4. A change in the psychopathology of the positive symptoms, the subjective controllability and well being is assessed. After each session a questionnaire will be filled out (1-20 comparison).

—

Countries

Switzerland

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026