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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

TMS for Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

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 repeated magnetic pulses to the brain (rTMS) for people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. It looks at whether treating a brain area called the angular gyrus helps negative symptoms, such as low motivation, or other psychosis symptoms. It compares this treatment with pulses to a different brain area or a sham (inactive) treatment.

The purpose of this study is to determine if repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied to angular gyrus (AG) will improve negative symptoms and/or other psychosis symptoms in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) patients compared with prefrontal cortex (PFC) or sham.

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

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Have a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder and score above 10 on the Evaluation to Sign Consent, a check of your ability to agree to the study.
  • Be able to give written consent to join.
  • Be under the care of a licensed primary care or mental health provider.
  • Have negative symptoms, with a score of at least 20 on the BNSS symptom scale.
  • Give written permission for study staff to communicate with your current health care providers and those who treated you in the past two years.

Who can't join

  • Have a parent, sibling, or child with inherited epilepsy or seizures, or answer yes to any part A–G of Question 3 on the epilepsy screening form.
  • Do not pass the TMS safety screening, or take more than 400 mg of clozapine daily without a sufficient dose of anti-seizure medicine.
  • Have recent alcohol or drug dependence, except nicotine or marijuana dependence; have a positive urine test for a non-prescribed substance; or cannot avoid alcohol and marijuana for at least 24 hours before study sessions.
  • Have a major illness that affects brain function, such as a stroke, brain infection, or brain tumor; have had brain surgery; or had a head injury that caused you to pass out for more than 10 minutes.
  • Have a pacemaker, implanted medicine pump, line inside the heart, or serious unstable heart disease. Certain implants or metal in or near the head, outside the mouth, that cannot be safely removed also rule you out.
  • Are pregnant, may be pregnant because you missed a period while not using birth control, or had sex without birth control in the past four weeks.
  • Have a moderate or high risk of suicide based on the study's screening or the study clinician's judgment.
  • Have a personal or family history of deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in a deep vein.

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

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Ability to give written informed consent * Diagnosed with schizophrenia-spectrum disorder and Evaluation to Sign Consent (ESC) above 10. * Is currently under the care of a licensed primary care provider or mental healthcare provider (e.g., psychiatrist, psychologist, nurse practitioner, licensed clinical social worker). * Have negative symptoms as determined by BNSS score of 20 or more. * Agrees to provide written permission, as requested, to allow any and all forms of communication between the investigators and study staff and any health care provider who currently provides and/or has provided service to the subject within two years of study enrollment Exclusion Criteria: * Persons with a first-degree relative with inherited epilepsy, seizure disorder, or seizures or persons who answer "yes" to any of the parts (A. - G.) of Question 3 of an epilepsy screening questionnaire. * Taking \> 400 mg clozapine/day and not on anti-seizure medication(s) with sufficient dose. * Failed TMS screening questionnaire. * Significant alcohol or other drug use (substance dependence within the recent months) or positive urine toxicology screen for substance not prescribed other than nicotine or marijuana dependence. * Any major medical illnesses that may affect normal brain functioning. Examples of these conditions include, but not limited to, stroke, Central nervous System (CNS)infection or tumor, other significant brain neurological conditions. * Cardiac pacemakers, implanted medication pumps, intracardiac lines, or acute, unstable cardiac disease, with intracranial implants (e.g. aneurysm clips, shunts, stimulators, cochlear implants, or electrodes) or any other metal object within or near the head, excluding the mouth, that cannot be safely removed. * History of head injury with loss of consciousness over 10 minutes; history of brain surgery * 0 Cannot refrain from using alcohol and/or marijuana 24 hours or more prior to experiments. * Woman who is pregnant (child-bearing potential but not on contraceptive and missing menstrual period; or by self-report; or by positive pregnancy test) or has had unprotected sexual intercourse without birth control in the last 4 weeks. * Moderate-High Risk of suicide according to the Columbia - Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Screen Version - Recent (i.e. answers YES to Question 2 and NO to Question 6 (Moderate risk); or answers YES to Questions 3 (Moderate risk), 4, 5, or 6 (High risk) or in the clinical judgement of the investigator or the study psychiatrist. * History (or family history) of deep vein thrombosis.

Study sites (1)

TX