The main goal of the study is to better understand how the brains of people with psychosis respond to emotional face stimuli. Specifically, we hope to explore brain changes using non-invasive brain stimulation. Changes that happen in the brain relate to its ability to adapt and learn through experience.
This study will use transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a way of stimulating the brain that is not invasive, generally painless, and widely used in research studies. Electroencephalography (EEG) will also be used, which is a painless way of recording brain activity.
We are recruiting those aged 18-50 with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder with psychosis, or another psychosis spectrum disorder.
This study requires up to 12 visits, conducted over 2-3 months at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center in Boston, MA. If you participate, each visit will last about 2-3 hours and include clinical assessments, EEG assessments, and tDCS sessions. During the stimulation, you will sit in a comfortable chair for a few hours with breaks.