# Restoration of Cognitive Function with TDCS and Training in Schizophrenia

> **NIH VA I01** · MINNEAPOLIS VA  MEDICAL CENTER · 2021 · —

## Abstract

Schizophrenia is among the most disabling illnesses of adults in the world. With illness onset typically
occurring in young adulthood, individuals with schizophrenia often struggle to establish and maintain social and
work roles in the community. In recognition of the profound disability associated with schizophrenia, the
Veteran’s Health Administration has prioritized provision of mental health care services to adults with severe
and persistent mental illnesses. The President’s New Freedom Commission called for the development of
mental health care services that focus on “increasing consumer’s ability to successfully cope with life
challenges, on facilitating recovery, and on building resilience.”
The proposed intervention study is designed to enhance cognition, and ultimately, psychosocial functioning in
patients. The cognitive dysfunction associated with schizophrenia has been found to be one of the strongest
predictors of how well patients do in the community. The primary aim of the proposed study is to evaluate the
efficacy of a novel pairing of two therapeutic interventions designed to restore cognitive functioning in patients
with schizophrenia. Presently, cognitive remediation, a computer-based intervention that exercises cognitive
abilities, is the approach to intervention that has shown the most success in changing cognitive performance in
patients with schizophrenia. While gains are made with this approach to intervention, the impact has been
modest, and the intensity of training regimens required by this approach may be a barrier that limits
widespread use of this intervention. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulatory
technique that has been found to temporarily facilitate learning and to enhance cognitive performance. The
proposed study will examine these two techniques used in combination to enhance cognition and psychosocial
functioning in patients with schizophrenia.
To accomplish this goal, 100 patients with schizophrenia will be randomized to cognitive remediation paired
with either tDCS or a sham condition. In both conditions participants will receive computer-based cognitive
training and metacognitive strategy training three times a week for 16 weeks. The cognitive training protocol
proposed in this study is focused on exercising working memory processes and has been found to be effective
in producing change in this domain. Participants in the tDCS condition will receive 20 minutes of 1 mA
stimulation concurrent with training. Participants in the sham condition will receive 30 seconds of stimulation to
simulate the experience of tDCS. We hypothesize that, as compared to participants in the sham condition,
patients who receive cognitive remediation with tDCS will demonstrate significantly greater change on
neuropsychological measures of working memory, related cognitive functions, functional capacity, and
community functioning. A second study goal is to examine the stability of intervention-induced ch...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10043829
- **Project number:** 5I01RX000180-08
- **Recipient organization:** MINNEAPOLIS VA  MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Tasha Marie Nienow
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2009-07-01 → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10043829

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10043829, Restoration of Cognitive Function with TDCS and Training in Schizophrenia (5I01RX000180-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10043829. Licensed CC0.

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