Brain Training to Reduce Hearing Voices in Schizophrenia

This trial is testing a new approach called fMRI-based neurofeedback to help people with schizophrenia who experience persistent auditory hallucinations (hearing voices) that don't respond well to standard medications. During the trial, researchers will use real-time brain imaging to show you patterns of your brain activity and teach you techniques to shift your brain into a state where hallucinations are less likely to occur. The goal is to help you gain some control over these experiences through brain training.

Many people with schizophrenia continue to hear voices even when taking antipsychotic medications, which can be very distressing and disrupt daily life. This trial exists because researchers have discovered that they can now detect the brain patterns associated with hearing voices using advanced imaging, and they want to know whether teaching people to recognize and change those patterns could offer relief when medications alone are not enough.