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Bilateral Prefrontal and Insular TMS for Depression in Schizophrenia

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 transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can help depression symptoms in people with schizophrenia. rTMS uses magnetic pulses to stimulate the brain. The study is for adults ages 18–60 with schizophrenia or a related disorder and depression symptoms.

The purpose of this study is to provide an effective repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment for depressive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia patients with depressive symptoms will be exposed to rTMS to improve their symptoms.

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

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Be 18–60 years old.
  • Be able to give written consent to join the study.
  • Have schizophrenia or a related disorder.
  • Score above 10 on the Evaluation to Sign Consent (ESC), a test of your ability to consent.
  • Score 3 or higher on the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), which measures depression symptoms.

Who can't join

  • Be unable to sign the consent form.
  • Have a major illness that may affect brain function, such as a stroke, repeated seizures, a serious head injury with lasting thinking problems, or a brain infection or tumor.
  • Have significant alcohol or other drug use, except dependence on nicotine or marijuana.
  • Be unable to avoid alcohol and marijuana for at least 24 hours before study experiments.
  • Be pregnant, based on your report, a positive urine pregnancy test, or a missed period while able to become pregnant and not using birth control.
  • Be unable to have an MRI brain scan because of metal devices or objects in your body, or be unwilling to enter the scanner.
  • Not pass the TMS safety questionnaire.

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

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Male and female ages between ages 18-60 years. * Ability to give written informed consent (age 18 or above). * Diagnosed with schizophrenia-spectrum disorder and Evaluation to Sign Consent (ESC) above 10. * Score of Calgary depression scale for schizophrenia (CDSS) ≥ 3. Exclusion Criteria: * Inability to sign informed consent. * Any major medical illnesses that may affect normal brain functioning. Examples of these conditions include, but are not limited to: stroke, repeated seizure, history of significant head trauma with cognitive sequela, CNS infection or tumor, other significant brain neurological conditions. * Significant alcohol or other drug use other than nicotine or marijuana dependence. * Inability to refrain from using alcohol and/or marijuana 24 hours or more prior to experiments. * Pregnancy, as classified by a woman of child-bearing potential who is not using a contraceptive and has missed a menstrual period; or by self-report; or by positive urine pregnancy test. * For MRI, inability to participate in the 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 declining to get in the scanner. * Failed TMS safety questionnaire.

Study sites (1)

TX