NCT05671185

rTMS for Depressive, Positive and Negative Symptoms, and Physiological Indices of Schizophrenia Patients

Therapeutic Effect of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Depressive, Positive and Negative Symptoms, and Physiological Indices of Schizophrenia Patients

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 180 (estimated)
• Sponsor: National Taiwan University Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 20 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Around 40% of schizophrenia patients present depressive symptoms, which are associated with elevated suicide and violence risk and poor prognosis and quality of life. Recent meta-analysis showed the effect size of antidepressants for depressive symptoms of schizophrenia patients was as low as 0.25, so new therapeutic approach is warranted. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive, anesthesia-free brain stimulation therapy for treatment refractory depression. Currently, rTMS is classified as high-frequency stimulation (\>5Hz, usually 10Hz or 20Hz) and low-frequency inhibition (usually 1Hz). Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) is a new variant of rTMS, with stimulation frequency as high as 50Hz. Compared with high-frequency rTMS, iTBS has similar therapeutic effect and shorter stimulation duration. Up to now, studies exploring treatment effect of rTMS or iTBS for schizophrenia patients mainly focused on negative symptoms rather than depressive symptoms. Therefore, this study aims to explore treatment effect of rTMS or iTBS of depressive symptoms, negative symptoms, cognitive function and physiological indices for schizophrenia patients.

Conditions

• Schizophrenia and Related Disorders

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation	rTMS using Magstim TMS system is delivered at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-12-01
• Primary completion: 2028-12-01
• Completion: 2028-12-01
• First posted: 2023-01-04
• Last updated: 2026-01-22

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Taiwan