Trial reportTranslational psychiatry2026
Effects of 40 Hz transcranial alternating current stimulation on neural synchronization and cognitive correlates in schizophrenia: An EEG study.
Trial report in Translational psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Temporal-Targeted Accelerated 40 Hz tACS Enhances Cognitive Function and Network Integration in Alzheimer's Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- Emotional information recruits specific neural dynamics to support hierarchical cognitive control.Social cognitive and affective neuroscience · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Gamma-band neural oscillations are critically involved in working memory and are disrupted in schizophrenia. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at gamma frequency is a promising noninvasive approach to restore oscillatory synchrony and enhance cognition. This randomized, double-blind trial tested whether 40 Hz tACS targeting frontoparietal networks modulates gamma-band activity and connectivity during working memory, and whether these electrophysiological changes relate to cognition in schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia (n = 33) were randomized to 10 sessions of active or sham tACS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (F3) and right parietal cortex (P4), with cognition assessed using standardized neurocognitive measures (MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery, MCCB) and an n-back working-memory task. EEG during an n-back task was recorded pre- and post-intervention to assess gamma power, phase-locking value (PLV), and phase-amplitude coupling (PAC). A significant Group × Time interaction indicated that 1-back minus 0-back PLV increased in the active group but not in sham (P = 0.048, Cohen's d = 1.08). For PAC, a significant interaction showed that delta-high gamma coupling at F3 remained stable in the active group but declined in sham (P = 0.036, Cohen's d = 1.00). There was no significant correlation with n-back measures of working memory, but an exploratory significant finding linking this modulation to visual learning at 4-week follow-up. No significant group differences were found for MCCB total scores; however, a significant Group × Time interaction emerged for 0-back accuracy during EEG recording (P = 0.029, Cohen's d = 1.19). These findings demonstrate that 40 Hz tACS can enhance and preserve gamma synchrony in frontoparietal circuits during working memory. The maintained delta-gamma coupling in our exploratory findings on visual learning may suggest a relationship to sustained improvements in cognition over time, but needs additional confirmation.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.