Boosting prefrontal brain rhythms to improve working memory in early schizophrenia
Enhancing prefrontal oscillatory activity and working memory performance with noninvasive brain stimulation in early-course schizophrenia
This project uses brief, noninvasive brain stimulation to try to improve working memory for people with early-stage schizophrenia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143924 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would first have your brain rhythms measured with a combination of painless magnetic pulses and EEG focused on the front part of the brain (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex). Then you would receive short sessions of theta-burst stimulation, a rapid form of noninvasive repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, aimed at increasing those brain rhythms. Your working memory would be tested before and after the stimulation and responses would be compared to a control (sham) condition to see if boosting rhythms leads to clearer memory performance.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with early-course schizophrenia who have measurable working memory difficulties and can safely undergo TMS procedures.
Not a fit: People without cognitive symptoms, those with later-stage or primarily negative-symptom schizophrenia, or anyone with contraindications to TMS (for example, certain implanted medical devices) may not benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a non-drug way to improve working memory and everyday functioning for people early in the course of schizophrenia.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research shows TMS can change prefrontal brain activity and sometimes help cognition, but applying theta-burst stimulation specifically in early-course schizophrenia is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ferrarelli, Fabio — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Ferrarelli, Fabio
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.