SchizophreniaONSETSNCT07680114
Overnight Thalamic TES-TI to Modulate Sleep Spindles in Individuals With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and Matched Healthy Controls
A study testing TES-TI in people with Schizophrenia, run by University of Wisconsin, Madison at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study to find out whether a type of non-invasive electrical brain stimulation called transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference (TES-TI) can temporarily change brain activity during sleep-especially sleep spindles (brain rhythms in the ~8-16 Hz range). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 50 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Schizophrenia
- What is being tested?
- TES-TI
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 20 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Oct 2026to Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 50 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- U.S. citizen or holding permanent resident status
- English-speaking
- DSM-5 schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) diagnosis, defined as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or schizophreniform disorder (confirmed by clinical interview and/or chart review)
- Chronic illness, defined as diagnosis of SSD for at least 1 year
- Clinically stable outpatient (no psychiatric hospitalization in past 6 months; no change in antipsychotic medication in the past 6 weeks)
- Medically healthy (based on self-report and study team review)
- Matched to SSD participants on age (±5 years) and sex
Who cannot join
- Current or past history of clinically significant neurological disorder or acquired neurological disease (e.g., stroke, traumatic brain injury), including intracranial lesions (including clinically significant findings identified on the structural MRI)
- Active suicidal ideation, plan, or intent (assessed via PHQ-9 item 9 and follow-up Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Screener; see Safety Response Procedure)
- Inability to provide informed consent, including inadequate decisional capacity in the judgment of the study team and/or study psychiatrist
- History of head trauma resulting in prolonged loss of consciousness; or a history of >3 grade I concussions
- Current poorly controlled headaches, including intractable or frequent migraines
- Any systemic illness or unstable medical condition that may cause a medical emergency in case of a provoked seizure (cardiac malformation, cardiac dysrhythmia, asthma, etc.)
Show all 27Show fewer
- History of seizures, diagnosis of epilepsy, history of abnormal (epileptiform) EEG, or family history of treatment resistant epilepsy except for a single seizure of benign etiology (e.g. febrile seizures) in the judgment of a board-certified neurologist
- Possible pregnancy or plan to become pregnant in the next 6 months (self reported)
- Any metal in the head
- Any medical devices or implants (i.e. cardiac pacemaker, medication infusion pump, cochlear implant, vagal nerve stimulator)
- Dental implants
- Permanent retainers
- Any hair braid, dreadlocks, hair pieces, or extensions which cannot be taken out before the study sessions
- Any head coverings or headdress that participant feels uncomfortable removing for the purposes of study sessions
- Current use of medications known to substantially lower seizure threshold, specifically chlorpromazine, clozapine, bupropion, clomipramine, or maprotiline; or other medications at doses known to substantially lower seizure threshold in the judgment of the PI or Study Psychiatrist
- Current use of medications known to directly and substantially enhance sleep spindle activity, including benzodiazepines; non-benzodiazepine "Z-drug" hypnotics (zolpidem, eszopiclone, zaleplon); barbiturates; and gabapentin or pregabalin, within 2 weeks of the overnight study visits. Other sedating medications used as sleep aids (e.g., trazodone, hydroxyzine, mirtazapine) are permitted provided the regimen is stable across the two overnight visits; dose and timing will be recorded as covariates
- Current moderate-to-severe alcohol or other substance use disorder (DSM-5) other than nicotine or caffeine
- Active scalp lesions, broken skin, or skin conditions at planned electrode sites that would preclude safe electrode application
- Claustrophobia (a fear of small or closed places)
- Back problems that would prevent lying flat for up to two hours
- Regular night-shift work (second or third shift)
- Sleep apnea or other sleep disorder (self-reported)
- Self-reported history of inpatient psychiatric hospitalization
- Self-reported current or past diagnosis of schizophrenia or any other psychotic disorder
- Self-reported first-degree relative with schizophrenia or any other psychotic disorder
- Self-reported current or past diagnosis of bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder with psychotic features, or current treatment for any psychiatric disorder other than depression or anxiety (handled via the medication rule below)
- Current use of any psychotropic medication, with the exception of a single SSRI or SNRI taken at a stable dose for at least 6 weeks for depression or anxiety. Current use of antipsychotics, tricyclic antidepressants, mirtazapine, trazodone, lithium or other mood stabilizers, benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, other anxiolytics, or stimulants will result in exclusion.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin, 53719
About this study
Official title: A Pilot Feasibility Study of Overnight Thalamic TES-TI to Modulate Sleep Spindles in Individuals With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and Matched Healthy Controls
This study to find out whether a type of non-invasive electrical brain stimulation called transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference (TES-TI) can temporarily change brain activity during sleep-especially sleep spindles (brain rhythms in the ~8-16 Hz range). The investigators are focusing on the thalamus, a deep brain region that helps coordinate brain activity during non-REM sleep. Sleep spindles are often reduced in schizophrenia, so this study is to see whether TES-TI can change spindle activity in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) and in healthy adults. To study this, a structural MRI scan will be used to customize where the stimulation electrodes are placed, and then TES-TI will be applied during one of two overnight sleep lab visits while brain activity is recorded with high-density EEG and standard sleep sensors. The other overnight is a baseline/control night during which only sham stimulation is delivered. The goal is to determine whether TES-TI during sleep can increase spindle-frequency activity in this population.
Read the detailed description
This single-site, single-blind, proof-of-concept feasibility study will evaluate the feasibility of overnight thalamic transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference (TES-TI) to modulate sleep spindle activity during N2 sleep in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) and matched healthy controls (HC).
The study is investigational and is not designed or intended to provide therapeutic benefit; no treatment effect is claimed. After screening, consent, and clinical interview for individuals with SSD, participants will complete an MRI visit (T1, T2, DWI, and 10 min resting-state fMRI) for individualized montage optimization and two overnight hdEEG/PSG sessions in randomized, counterbalanced order, separated by at least two weeks: one baseline/control night with ramp-sham stimulation only, and one stimulation night. During the stimulation night, TES-TI will be delivered during stable N2 sleep in 3-minute epochs separated by 6-minute intervals, with up to 20 protocols per night, using randomized 10 Hz, 14 Hz, and carrier-only control conditions under continuous sleep-technician monitoring.
Primary physiological outcomes will assess changes in spindle-frequency activity and related spindle measures relative to baseline and carrier-only control. Exploratory analyses will compare baseline spindle deficits and TES-TI responsiveness across groups and examine whether stimulation-related changes are associated with cognitive performance, assessed using the Boston Cognitive Assessment (BoCA).
- Conditions
- Schizophrenia
- Being tested
- TES-TI, Sham TES-TI
- Keywords
- schizophrenia spectrum disorders, sleep spindles, transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference
- Medical subject headings
- Schizophrenia
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
TES-TIDevice
Also called transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference
During the stimulation night, TES-TI will be delivered during stable N2 sleep in 3-minute epochs separated by 6-minute intervals, with up to 20 protocols per night, using randomized 10 Hz, 14 Hz, and carrier-only control conditions under continuous sleep-technician monitoring.
Sham TES-TIDevice
ramp-sham stimulation only
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Participants with SSD | Experimental | Not described Receives: Device: TES-TI; Device: Sham TES-TI |
| Healthy Controls | Experimental | Not described Receives: Device: TES-TI; Device: Sham TES-TI |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in spindle-frequency activity (8-16 Hz spectral power)
Measured: data collected over two overnight visits separated by at least 2 weeks during stable N2 sleep
Change in spindle density
8-16 Hz spectral power
Measured: data collected over two overnight visits separated by at least 2 weeks during stable N2 sleep
Change in spindle amplitude
8-16 Hz spectral power
Measured: data collected over two overnight visits separated by at least 2 weeks during stable N2 sleep
Change in spindle duration
8-16 Hz spectral power
Measured: data collected over two overnight visits separated by at least 2 weeks during stable N2 sleep
Change in spindle topography
8-16 Hz spectral power
Measured: data collected over two overnight visits separated by at least 2 weeks during stable N2 sleep
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Jul 2026
- Study startOct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionDec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for SchizophreniaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of Wisconsin, MadisonThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- This is an experimental study using a within-subject, randomized, counterbalanced crossover design in which each participant serves as their own control.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Alkermes, Inc.
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Larissa Albantakis, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Wisconsin, Madison
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07680114
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2026-0751
- Other IDs
- Protocol Version 1, SMPH | Psychiatry
- Acronym
- ONSETS
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 25 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 1 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Pilot Feasibility Study of Overnight Thalamic TES-TI to Modulate Sleep Spindles in Individuals With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and Matched Healthy Controls
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07680114
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ONSETS / 2026-0751
- Conditions
- Schizophrenia
- Keywords
- schizophrenia spectrum disorders, sleep spindles, transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Wisconsin, MadisonUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Alkermes, Inc.
- Study start
- Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 2 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study to find out whether a type of non-invasive electrical brain stimulation called transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference (TES-TI) can temporarily change brain activity during sleep-especially sleep spindles (brain rhythms in the ~8-16 Hz range). The investigators are focusing on the thalamus, a deep brain region that helps coordinate brain activity during non-REM sleep. Sleep spindles are often reduced in schizophrenia, so this study is to see whether TES-TI can change spindle activity in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) and in healthy adults. To study this, a structural MRI scan will be used to customize where the stimulation electrodes are placed, and then TES-TI will be applied during one of two overnight sleep lab visits while brain activity is recorded with high-density EEG and standard sleep sensors. The other overnight is a baseline/control night during which only sham stimulation is delivered. The goal is to determine whether TES-TI during sleep can increase spindle-frequency activity in this population.
Detailed description
This single-site, single-blind, proof-of-concept feasibility study will evaluate the feasibility of overnight thalamic transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference (TES-TI) to modulate sleep spindle activity during N2 sleep in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) and matched healthy controls (HC).
The study is investigational and is not designed or intended to provide therapeutic benefit; no treatment effect is claimed. After screening, consent, and clinical interview for individuals with SSD, participants will complete an MRI visit (T1, T2, DWI, and 10 min resting-state fMRI) for individualized montage optimization and two overnight hdEEG/PSG sessions in randomized, counterbalanced order, separated by at least two weeks: one baseline/control night with ramp-sham stimulation only, and one stimulation night. During the stimulation night, TES-TI will be delivered during stable N2 sleep in 3-minute epochs separated by 6-minute intervals, with up to 20 protocols per night, using randomized 10 Hz, 14 Hz, and carrier-only control conditions under continuous sleep-technician monitoring.
Primary physiological outcomes will assess changes in spindle-frequency activity and related spindle measures relative to baseline and carrier-only control. Exploratory analyses will compare baseline spindle deficits and TES-TI responsiveness across groups and examine whether stimulation-related changes are associated with cognitive performance, assessed using the Boston Cognitive Assessment (BoCA).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- This is an experimental study using a within-subject, randomized, counterbalanced crossover design in which each participant serves as their own control.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Participants with SSD | Experimental | Device: TES-TI, Device: Sham TES-TI |
| Healthy Controls | Experimental | Device: TES-TI, Device: Sham TES-TI |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 50 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- U.S. citizen or holding permanent resident status
- English-speaking
- DSM-5 schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) diagnosis, defined as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or schizophreniform disorder (confirmed by clinical interview and/or chart review)
- Chronic illness, defined as diagnosis of SSD for at least 1 year
- Clinically stable outpatient (no psychiatric hospitalization in past 6 months; no change in antipsychotic medication in the past 6 weeks)
Key exclusion criteria (27 listed)
- Current or past history of clinically significant neurological disorder or acquired neurological disease (e.g., stroke, traumatic brain injury), including intracranial lesions (including clinically significant findings identified on the structural MRI)
- Active suicidal ideation, plan, or intent (assessed via PHQ-9 item 9 and follow-up Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Screener; see Safety Response Procedure)
- Inability to provide informed consent, including inadequate decisional capacity in the judgment of the study team and/or study psychiatrist
- History of head trauma resulting in prolonged loss of consciousness; or a history of >3 grade I concussions
- Current poorly controlled headaches, including intractable or frequent migraines
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| TES-TIAlso: transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interferenceDuring the stimulation night, TES-TI will be delivered during stable N2 sleep in 3-minute epochs separated by 6-minute intervals, with up to 20 protocols per night, using randomized 10 Hz, 14 Hz, and carrier-only control conditions under continuous sleep-technician monitoring. | Device | Healthy Controls, Participants with SSD |
| Sham TES-TIramp-sham stimulation only | Device | Healthy Controls, Participants with SSD |
Primary outcome
Change in spindle-frequency activity (8-16 Hz spectral power)
Time frame: data collected over two overnight visits separated by at least 2 weeks during stable N2 sleep
Change in spindle density
Time frame: data collected over two overnight visits separated by at least 2 weeks during stable N2 sleep
8-16 Hz spectral power
Change in spindle amplitude
Time frame: data collected over two overnight visits separated by at least 2 weeks during stable N2 sleep
8-16 Hz spectral power
Change in spindle duration
Time frame: data collected over two overnight visits separated by at least 2 weeks during stable N2 sleep
8-16 Hz spectral power
Change in spindle topography
Time frame: data collected over two overnight visits separated by at least 2 weeks during stable N2 sleep
8-16 Hz spectral power
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 Oct 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Larissa Albantakis, PhD principal investigator
University of Wisconsin, Madison
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing TES-TI in people with Schizophrenia, run by University of Wisconsin, Madison at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 27 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact ONSETS Study (608-263-4313, onsets@psychiatry.wisc.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in spindle-frequency activity (8-16 Hz spectral power) (time frame: data collected over two overnight visits separated by at least 2 weeks during stable N2 sleep). The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 Oct 2026.