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Enhancing Brain Connectivity in Schizophrenia Through Neuromodulation (Study 1)

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

Not stated in the study description — ask the study team about visits and procedures.

Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests whether repeated magnetic pulses to the brain can improve white matter, which helps brain areas connect. It uses a device called an H coil to give this treatment, known as rTMS. The study is for adults ages 18–60 with schizophrenia or a related disorder.

Patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) will be exposed to active repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) from H coil for improving white matter integrity.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Age 18–60, male or female.
  • Able to give written consent to join the study.
  • Have schizophrenia or a related disorder and score above 10 on the Evaluation to Sign Consent (ESC), a test of ability to give consent.

Who can't join

  • Unable to sign consent, or currently a student or employee involved with the study lab.
  • Any past seizures, brain surgery, or head injury that caused you to pass out for more than 10 minutes.
  • A serious current illness that is not stable and may affect the brain, such as a recent stroke, major head injury, or brain infection or tumor. Most stable medical conditions do not rule you out.
  • Taking more than 400 mg of clozapine a day, or not passing the TMS safety screening.
  • Alcohol or drug dependence in the past 6 months, or substance abuse in the past month, except nicotine or marijuana dependence. Also excluded if you cannot avoid alcohol and marijuana for at least 24 hours before experiments.
  • A personal or family history of blood clots, or a condition that raises your chance of blood clots.
  • Pregnant, including pregnancy reported by you or found by a urine test. A missed period without birth control in someone who could become pregnant also rules you out.
  • Unable to have an MRI scan because of metal devices or objects in your body, or fear of being in the scanner’s tight space.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Male and female ages between ages 18-60 years 2. Ability to give written informed consent (age 18 or above) 3. Diagnosed with schizophrenia-spectrum disorder and Evaluation to Sign Consent (ESC) above 10. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Inability to sign informed consent. 2. Any history of seizures. 3. Any acute and unstable major medical illnesses that may affect normal brain functioning. Examples of these conditions include, but not limited to, recent stroke, seizure, history of significant head trauma, CNS infection or tumor, other significant brain neurological conditions (As this is a study of medical comorbidity, most medical conditions, once stable, are not exclusion criteria). 4. Taking \> 400 mg clozapine/day. 5. Failed TMS screening questionnaire. 6. Significant alcohol or other drug use (substance dependence within 6 months or substance abuse within 1 month) other than nicotine or marijuana dependence. 7. A history of thrombosis, family history of thrombosis, or medical conditions that may lead to a hypercoagulable state (increased chance to develop blood clots) 8. Woman who is pregnant (child-bearing potential but not on contraceptive and missing menstrual period; or by self-report; or by positive urine pregnancy test). 9. History of head injury with loss of consciousness over 10 minutes; history of brain surgery 10. Cannot refrain from using alcohol and/or marijuana 24 hours or more prior to experiments. 11. Students and employees currently involved with our lab (lab employees and personnel will be excluded from the study to avoid possible coercion or possible appearance of coercion, or chance of breach of privacy and confidentiality). 12. For MRI, unable to undergo MRI scanning due to metallic devices or objects (cardiac pacemaker or neurostimulator, some artificial joints, metal pins, surgical clips, or other implanted metal parts) or claustrophobic to the scanner.

Study sites (1)

TX