Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Cognitive Symptoms in Patients with Schizophrenia

Schneider, Katja (2022) Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Cognitive Symptoms in Patients with Schizophrenia. Master thesis, Psychology.

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Abstract

There is currently no generally accepted effective treatment for cognitive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, even though these symptoms may be the most adverse dysfunction. Non-invasive neurostimulation methods, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), may be new treatment options if their effectiveness can be proven. Furthermore, knowing whether one of these treatments is superior to the other is also important to know, especially when considering implementing these treatment options in treatment facilities. Data from 44 participants (76% male) between the ages of 19 and 55 from the Groningen Apathy Treatment Study was used in the current double-blind sham-controlled study. Only participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia in treatment groups of tDCS and rTMS, and their control groups (receiving sham stimulation), were included in the study. No significant effects of tDCS and rTMS on the cognitive domains of psychomotor speed, executive functioning, working memory, rote memory, and executive control ability – which were each measured with a neuropsychological test –was found. There was also no significant difference in effectiveness between rTMS and tDCS across any of the cognitive domains. However, the effect sizes of the interactions between conditions and psychomotor speed (ղ2 = 0.144), executive functioning (ղ2 = 0.152), and executive control ability (ղ2 = 0.112) were of considerable magnitude. Thus, although the small sample size limits this study, the results may show initial promise for the effectiveness of tDCS and rTMS in treating cognitive symptoms of patients with schizophrenia.

Item Type:	Thesis (Master)
Supervisor name:	Aleman, A.
Degree programme:	Psychology
Differentiation route:	Clinical Neuropsychology (CN) [Master Psychology]
Date Deposited:	22 Mar 2022 14:31
Last Modified:	22 Mar 2022 14:31
URI:	http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/340

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