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tDCS and Cognitive Training Intervention for Chronic Smokers With Schizophrenia

tDCS and Cognitive Training Intervention for Chronic Smokers With Schizophrenia

Status
Terminated
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03588728
Acronym
TACTICSS
Enrollment
39
Registered
2018-07-17
Start date
2018-07-23
Completion date
2020-03-12
Last updated
2023-03-13

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

Conditions

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Smoking, Cigarette, Schizophrenia

Keywords

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Smoking, Schizophrenia

Brief summary

This study is being done to develop new methods to help smokers with schizophrenia to successfully reduce their smoking and/or quit. This is not a treatment study, but will help find new techniques to create better treatments. Specifically, the investigators are interested in learning more about how thoughts and attention problems associated with schizophrenia might play a role in smoking, as well as the impact of cognitive (thinking, reasoning, and remembering) training and brain stimulation on these symptoms and on actual smoking.

Detailed description

Adults with severe mental illness (SMI) are three times more likely to smoke than non-SMI adults, consuming 35-44% of all cigarettes in the U.S.; and, the highest rates of tobacco-related illnesses and death are among smokers with schizophrenia. Unfortunately, not only are patients with schizophrenia less likely to receive smoking treatments, but cessation medications are only modestly effective in helping this subset of smokers quit. Therefore, it is vital to discover new treatment adjuncts that specifically aid this high-risk subset of smokers to achieve successful abstinence. Toward that end, the investigators propose a novel non-pharmacologic technique that directly targets both cognitive impairment, an avenue considerable past research suggests may be particularly effective to exploit in smokers with schizophrenia, and reactivity to prepotent stimuli, shown to be enhanced in smokers with schizophrenia. Combining a subset of cognitive enhancement therapy known as Cognitive Remediation (CR), with another safe and effective technique, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), the investigators propose a new cognitive training method aimed at enabling smokers with schizophrenia to gain greater control over smoking and stimuli-induced reactivity (e.g., craving). Recent studies have found significant tDCS-induced cognitive enhancement, as well as reduction in both cue-induced craving and smoking behavior among healthy smokers. This combined with knowledge of the cognitive deficits that exist among individuals with schizophrenia, and clear evidence of a relationship between cognitive function and smoking treatment success, provides the rationale for testing novel CR + tDCS to target underlying mechanisms of smoking among individuals with schizophrenia. Specifically, the proposed study will examine the extent to which targeted cognitive enhancement with CR + tDCS, leads to changes in cognitive control, cue-provoked craving, reaction time and ERP measures of attentional bias; as well as the impact of these changes on smoking behavior and intention and confidence to quit among 80 smokers with schizophrenia. The goal of this study is to inform the development of new non-medication, noninvasive, therapeutic techniques to specifically target smoking among patients with schizophrenia. The long term goal is to establish an effective treatment adjunct to help smokers with schizophrenia successfully achieve abstinence.

Interventions

OTHERTranscranial Direct Current Stimulation

Transcranial direct current stimulation targeting the right inferior frontal gyrus

Cognitive exercises on a computer designed to increase attention, memory, and processing speed.

Sponsors

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
CollaboratorNIH
University of Pittsburgh
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
FACTORIAL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Masking description

Participants were not informed of their randomization group until debreifing.

Intervention model description

2 (CR, Control CR) x 2 (tDCS xSham tDCS)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Currently meets DSM-5 criteria for Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Schizophreniform Disorder, or Delusional Disorder. * Ability to provide written informed consent * Smoke ≥ 7 cigarettes per day * Expired breath CO ≥ 10 ppm at screening * Stable medication regimen for ≥ 4 weeks (If on more than one psychotropic medication, main antipsychotic will be considered for stability)

Exclusion criteria

* Epilepsy or Current Seizure Disorder * Alcohol or Substance Dependence past 3 months (caffeine allowed, nicotine is part of inclusion criteria). * Pregnant or lactating * Psychiatric hospitalization in past 3 months * Suicidal and/or aggressive behavior past 3 months * Implanted cardiac or brain medical devices * Latex allergy * Scalp irritation or recent shaving of scalp * Use of other smoking cessation medication * History of head trauma * History of ECT

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS™): MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB)Baseline to approximately 4 weeksthe MATRICS Consensus battery (MCCB) is a cognitive battery of tests for assessing cognition-enhancing treatments for schizophrenia through a broadly based scientific evaluation of measures. Change in cognitive measures of MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Post-intervention minus baseline. Scale is scored 0-100. Difference score range is (-100 to 100) with positive scores reflecting improvement.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Cigarette Puff VolumeBaseline and at approximately 4 weeksChange in mean cigarette puff volume
Latency to First Cigarette PuffBaseline to approximately 4 weeksChange in mean latency to first cigarette puff
AX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) Reaction TimeBaseline to approximately 4 weeksAX version of the CPT measures a participant's active maintenance and cognitive control. In this task, the participant is presented with a series of trials in which they are instructed to make a response which distinguishes between stimuli. Here the stimuli included are: smoking, nonsmoking, person, non-person). Assessment is of Post - Pre intervention difference in reaction time to respond to stimuli on the AX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT)
AX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) Reaction Time VariabilityBaseline to approximately 4 weeksPost minus pre-intervention difference Reaction time variability for hits on the AX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT). A negative value indicates improvement.
Cue-ReactivityBaseline to approximately 4 weeksChange in cue-induced craving indexed as change in self-report craving on the questionnaire of smoking urges, 4-item version (QSU-4) from baseline to end of intervention. Craving rating range = 0-100. Difference scores range from (-100 to 100) with a negative score reflecting improvement.
EEG (Electroencephalogram) Contingent Negative Variation (CNV)Baseline to approximately 4 weeksDifference in CNV between the A and X in the AX-CPT Task. More negative indicates larger CNV.
EEG (Electroencephalogram) Beta-Band Event-Related Desynchronization (ERD)Baseline to approximately 4 weeksDifference in ERD between the A and X in AX-CPT during EEG assessment of Beta-Band Event-Related Desynchronization (ERD). More negative values indicate greater Beta-band ERD at post-intervention.
Attention & Smoking Cue Exposure Task (ASCET)Baseline to approximately 4 weeksPost minus Pre-intervention difference in Reaction time between smoking and neutral images presented with the ASCET task. A negative RT indicates improvement.
Total Number of PuffsBaseline to approximately 4 weeksChange in number of puffs on cigarettes assessment during smoking topography measurement during the cue reactivity task. Number of puffs was assessed during pre-training cue reactivity and again during post-training cue reactivity.
EEG (Electroencephalogram) N170 AmplitudeBaseline to approximately 4 weeksDifference in change scores (post minus pre-intervention) in N170 Amplitude between smoking and neutral images. A more negative score indicates greater improvement.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
CR + tDCS
Cognitive Remediation (CR) and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: Transcranial direct current stimulation targeting the right inferior frontal gyrus Cognitive Remediation (CR): Cognitive exercises on a computer designed to increase attention, memory, and processing speed.
7
CR + Sham tDCS
Cognitive Remediation (CR) and Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Cognitive Remediation (CR): Cognitive exercises on a computer designed to increase attention, memory, and processing speed.
6
Control CR + tDCS
Control Cognitive Remediation (CR) and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: Transcranial direct current stimulation targeting the right inferior frontal gyrus
9
Control CR + Sham tDCS
Control Cognitive Remediation (CR) and Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
8
Total30

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001FG002FG003
Overall StudyDid not meet eligibility ctriteria0032
Overall StudyHospitalized for COVID1000
Overall StudyLab shut down due to COVID-190001
Overall Studymultiple technical issues1000
Overall StudySchedule change unable to attend sessions1000

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicCR + tDCSTotalControl CR + Sham tDCSControl CR + tDCSCR + Sham tDCS
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
7 Participants30 Participants8 Participants9 Participants6 Participants
Age, Continuous44.7 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 13
49.1 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.2
48.4 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.5
50.9 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.3
52.5 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.4
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
5 Participants26 Participants7 Participants8 Participants6 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
2 Participants4 Participants1 Participants1 Participants0 Participants
Nicotine Dependence Score4.7 units on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.7
5.3 units on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.6
5.8 units on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2
5.0 units on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.1
5.8 units on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.6
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
4 Participants17 Participants5 Participants4 Participants4 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants2 Participants0 Participants1 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
3 Participants11 Participants3 Participants4 Participants1 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
7 Participants30 Participants8 Participants9 Participants6 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
2 Participants12 Participants2 Participants4 Participants4 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
5 Participants18 Participants6 Participants5 Participants2 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
EG002
affected / at risk
EG003
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 100 / 60 / 120 / 11
other
Total, other adverse events
1 / 100 / 60 / 120 / 11
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 100 / 60 / 120 / 11

Outcome results

Primary

Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS™): MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB)

the MATRICS Consensus battery (MCCB) is a cognitive battery of tests for assessing cognition-enhancing treatments for schizophrenia through a broadly based scientific evaluation of measures. Change in cognitive measures of MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Post-intervention minus baseline. Scale is scored 0-100. Difference score range is (-100 to 100) with positive scores reflecting improvement.

Time frame: Baseline to approximately 4 weeks

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
CR + tDCSMeasurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS™): MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB)3.6 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 4
CR + Sham tDCSMeasurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS™): MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB)2.3 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 8.6
Control CR + tDCSMeasurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS™): MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB)3.1 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 3.6
Control CR + Sham tDCSMeasurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS™): MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB)1.8 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 3.7
Comparison: Test of between-subjects effectsp-value: 0.781ANOVA
Secondary

Attention & Smoking Cue Exposure Task (ASCET)

Post minus Pre-intervention difference in Reaction time between smoking and neutral images presented with the ASCET task. A negative RT indicates improvement.

Time frame: Baseline to approximately 4 weeks

Population: The baseline data for one subject in CR + tDCS did not save.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
CR + tDCSAttention & Smoking Cue Exposure Task (ASCET)-21.9 millisecondsStandard Deviation 19.6
CR + Sham tDCSAttention & Smoking Cue Exposure Task (ASCET)-21.7 millisecondsStandard Deviation 23
Control CR + tDCSAttention & Smoking Cue Exposure Task (ASCET)-10.5 millisecondsStandard Deviation 23.3
Control CR + Sham tDCSAttention & Smoking Cue Exposure Task (ASCET)-8.6 millisecondsStandard Deviation 32.8
Comparison: Tests of between-subjects effectsp-value: 0.998ANOVA
Secondary

AX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) Reaction Time

AX version of the CPT measures a participant's active maintenance and cognitive control. In this task, the participant is presented with a series of trials in which they are instructed to make a response which distinguishes between stimuli. Here the stimuli included are: smoking, nonsmoking, person, non-person). Assessment is of Post - Pre intervention difference in reaction time to respond to stimuli on the AX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT)

Time frame: Baseline to approximately 4 weeks

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
CR + tDCSAX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) Reaction Time-59.5 millisecondsStandard Deviation 62.9
CR + Sham tDCSAX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) Reaction Time-37.8 millisecondsStandard Deviation 47.4
Control CR + tDCSAX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) Reaction Time4.3 millisecondsStandard Deviation 29.8
Control CR + Sham tDCSAX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) Reaction Time-7.2 millisecondsStandard Deviation 30.8
Comparison: Test of between-subjects effectsp-value: 0.185ANOVA
Secondary

AX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) Reaction Time Variability

Post minus pre-intervention difference Reaction time variability for hits on the AX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT). A negative value indicates improvement.

Time frame: Baseline to approximately 4 weeks

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
CR + tDCSAX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) Reaction Time Variability-49463.5 millisecondsStandard Deviation 71684.1
CR + Sham tDCSAX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) Reaction Time Variability12828.3 millisecondsStandard Deviation 63752.7
Control CR + tDCSAX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) Reaction Time Variability22570.7 millisecondsStandard Deviation 83194.9
Control CR + Sham tDCSAX Version of the Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) Reaction Time Variability8292.96 millisecondsStandard Deviation 74462.3
Comparison: Test of between-measures effectsp-value: 0.198ANOVA
Secondary

Cigarette Puff Volume

Change in mean cigarette puff volume

Time frame: Baseline and at approximately 4 weeks

Population: Participants who did not smoke at baseline during cue reactivity were excluded from the analyses. This included 1 from arm CR + tDCS, 2 from CR + sham tDCS, and 2 from control CR + tDCS.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
CR + tDCSCigarette Puff Volume-218.8 MillilitersStandard Deviation 450.9
CR + Sham tDCSCigarette Puff Volume-90.7 MillilitersStandard Deviation 345
Control CR + tDCSCigarette Puff Volume-9.9 MillilitersStandard Deviation 268
Control CR + Sham tDCSCigarette Puff Volume27.4 MillilitersStandard Deviation 623.5
Comparison: Test of between-subjects effectsp-value: 0.697ANOVA
Secondary

Cue-Reactivity

Change in cue-induced craving indexed as change in self-report craving on the questionnaire of smoking urges, 4-item version (QSU-4) from baseline to end of intervention. Craving rating range = 0-100. Difference scores range from (-100 to 100) with a negative score reflecting improvement.

Time frame: Baseline to approximately 4 weeks

Population: Three subjects were removed from analyses due to misunderstanding the computerized rating system.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
CR + tDCSCue-Reactivity-6.4 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 38.1
CR + Sham tDCSCue-Reactivity-6.2 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 14.3
Control CR + tDCSCue-Reactivity-3.0 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 24.5
Control CR + Sham tDCSCue-Reactivity2.6 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 29.5
Comparison: Test of between-subjects effectsp-value: 0.409ANOVA
Secondary

EEG (Electroencephalogram) Beta-Band Event-Related Desynchronization (ERD)

Difference in ERD between the A and X in AX-CPT during EEG assessment of Beta-Band Event-Related Desynchronization (ERD). More negative values indicate greater Beta-band ERD at post-intervention.

Time frame: Baseline to approximately 4 weeks

Population: Subjects were removed from analysis if their data was too noisy from excessive coughing or moving around.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
CR + tDCSEEG (Electroencephalogram) Beta-Band Event-Related Desynchronization (ERD)-3.8 microvolts squaredStandard Deviation 2.6
CR + Sham tDCSEEG (Electroencephalogram) Beta-Band Event-Related Desynchronization (ERD)-2.6 microvolts squaredStandard Deviation 3.1
Control CR + tDCSEEG (Electroencephalogram) Beta-Band Event-Related Desynchronization (ERD)-3.6 microvolts squaredStandard Deviation 6.2
Control CR + Sham tDCSEEG (Electroencephalogram) Beta-Band Event-Related Desynchronization (ERD)-0.2 microvolts squaredStandard Deviation 4.6
Comparison: Test of between-subjects effectsp-value: 0.564ANOVA
Secondary

EEG (Electroencephalogram) Contingent Negative Variation (CNV)

Difference in CNV between the A and X in the AX-CPT Task. More negative indicates larger CNV.

Time frame: Baseline to approximately 4 weeks

Population: Subjects were removed from analysis if their data was too noisy from excessive coughing or moving around.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
CR + tDCSEEG (Electroencephalogram) Contingent Negative Variation (CNV)0.8 microvoltsStandard Deviation 1.7
CR + Sham tDCSEEG (Electroencephalogram) Contingent Negative Variation (CNV)0.6 microvoltsStandard Deviation 1.5
Control CR + tDCSEEG (Electroencephalogram) Contingent Negative Variation (CNV)0.8 microvoltsStandard Deviation 1.3
Control CR + Sham tDCSEEG (Electroencephalogram) Contingent Negative Variation (CNV)1.2 microvoltsStandard Deviation 1.1
Comparison: Test of between-subjects effectdp-value: 0.574ANOVA
Secondary

EEG (Electroencephalogram) N170 Amplitude

Difference in change scores (post minus pre-intervention) in N170 Amplitude between smoking and neutral images. A more negative score indicates greater improvement.

Time frame: Baseline to approximately 4 weeks

Population: Subjects were removed from analysis if their data was too noisy from excessive coughing or moving around.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
CR + tDCSEEG (Electroencephalogram) N170 Amplitude-1.9 microvoltsStandard Deviation 1.8
CR + Sham tDCSEEG (Electroencephalogram) N170 Amplitude0.2 microvoltsStandard Deviation 1.9
Control CR + tDCSEEG (Electroencephalogram) N170 Amplitude-0.8 microvoltsStandard Deviation 2.2
Control CR + Sham tDCSEEG (Electroencephalogram) N170 Amplitude0.6 microvoltsStandard Deviation 1.3
Comparison: Test of between-subjects effectsp-value: 0.638ANOVA
Secondary

Latency to First Cigarette Puff

Change in mean latency to first cigarette puff

Time frame: Baseline to approximately 4 weeks

Population: Participants who did not smoke at baseline during cue reactivity were excluded from this analysis. This included 1 from arm CR + tDCS, 2 from CR + sham tDCS, and 2 from control CR + tDCS.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
CR + tDCSLatency to First Cigarette Puff119.0 secondsStandard Deviation 197.1
CR + Sham tDCSLatency to First Cigarette Puff182.8 secondsStandard Deviation 243.7
Control CR + tDCSLatency to First Cigarette Puff19.1 secondsStandard Deviation 65.1
Control CR + Sham tDCSLatency to First Cigarette Puff96.5 secondsStandard Deviation 188.3
Comparison: Test of between subjects effectsp-value: 0.193ANOVA
Secondary

Total Number of Puffs

Change in number of puffs on cigarettes assessment during smoking topography measurement during the cue reactivity task. Number of puffs was assessed during pre-training cue reactivity and again during post-training cue reactivity.

Time frame: Baseline to approximately 4 weeks

Population: Participants who did not smoke at baseline during cue reactivity were excluded from this analysis. This included 1 from arm CR + tDCS, 2 from CR + sham tDCS, and 2 from control CR + tDCS.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
CR + tDCSTotal Number of Puffs-7.3 puffsStandard Deviation 11.3
CR + Sham tDCSTotal Number of Puffs0.8 puffsStandard Deviation 7.8
Control CR + tDCSTotal Number of Puffs-2.0 puffsStandard Deviation 11.1
Control CR + Sham tDCSTotal Number of Puffs2.0 puffsStandard Deviation 15.7
Comparison: Tests of between-subjecs effectsp-value: 0.348ANOVA

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026