The main goal of the study is to better understand how the brains of people with psychosis and mania or the above-mentioned diseases respond to brain stimulation. Specifically, we hope to explore brain changes using non-invasive brain stimulation. Changes that happen in the brain relate to the brain’s ability to adapt and learn through experience.
This study will use transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), a way of stimulating the brain that is not invasive, generally painless and is widely used in research studies. In a part of the study electroencephalography (EEG) will also be used, which is a painless way of recording brain waves.
We are recruiting those aged 18-50 with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder with psychosis with a history of visual hallucinations. Individuals with Parkinson’s, Lewy Body Dementia, Charles Bonnet Syndrome or brain lesions resulting in visual hallucinations age 18-80 may also be eligible to partake in our research.
This study requires five daily study visits for one week and a clinical follow up at one month to Massachusetts Mental Health Center in Boston, MA. If you participate, there will be a baseline visit, lasting 2-3 hours, three clinical/cognitive assessments, and tES visits, each lasting 1.5 hours. During the stimulation, you will sit in a comfortable chair for a few hours with breaks.