SchizophreniarTMSNCT00168311
A Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in the Treatment of Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia
A study testing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in people with Schizophrenia, run by The Alfred at 1 site in Australia.
Trial summary
There is pilot data to suggest the therapeutic value of rTMS applied to the left prefrontal cortex in the treatment of negative symptoms. Neuroimaging studies demonstrate abnormal activity in this region in patients experiencing negative symptoms. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Schizophrenia
- What is being tested?
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 22 participants
- Where
- 1 siteAustralia
- Study dates
- Aug 2002to Jul 2007
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, age over 18
- Persistent negative symptoms of moderate to severe intensity
- Failure to respond to a minimum of two antipsychotic medications
- No increase or initiation of new antipsychotic therapy in the four weeks prior to entering the trial
Who cannot join
- Prominent positive symptoms
- Have an unstable medical condition, neurological disorder or any history of seizure disorder or are currently pregnant or lactating
- Previous brain injury or surgery, any metal clips, plates or other metal items in the head, cardiac pacemaker
- Subjects at high risk of violence or suicide as determined by the investigator and treating clinicians
- Substance dependence
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: A Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Repetitive Transcranial Magentic Stimulation (rTMS) in the Treatment of Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia and Related Disorders
There is pilot data to suggest the therapeutic value of rTMS applied to the left prefrontal cortex in the treatment of negative symptoms. Neuroimaging studies demonstrate abnormal activity in this region in patients experiencing negative symptoms. Finally rTMS applied at high frequency shows the capacity to up-regulate cortical activity in a way that would provide an explanation for a therapeutic response.
The study involves participants receiving 15 sessions of high frequency rTMS treatment applied bilaterally to the prefrontal cortex over a 3 week period or sham rTMS. Following this double blind phase, participants randomised to placebo treatment will be offered 15 sessions of active treatment.
In addition, ppTMS (paired pulse TMS) will be conducted prior to the onset of treatment and after completion of the course, as a means of measuring cortical inhibition and facilitation. NIRS (Near Infra red spectroscopy) will also be conducted prior to, during and after the first and last treatment sessions to allow monitoring of oxygenated and deoxygenated haemoglobin.
Read the detailed description
The main outcome measure used is the SANS (Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms. This is a semi strucutured interview which provides scores from 0-70. This is administered at baseline, week 2, 3, 5 and 6.
Other outcome measures administered are (frequency mentioned above): PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) and the Calgery Depression Scale for Schizophrenia, A cognitive battery is also administered.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, age over 18
- Persistent negative symptoms of moderate to severe intensity
- Failure to respond to a minimum of two antipsychotic medications
- No increase or initiation of new antipsychotic therapy in the four weeks prior to entering the trial Exclusion Criteria
- Prominent positive symptoms
- Have an unstable medical condition, neurological disorder or any history of seizure disorder or are currently pregnant or lactating
- Previous brain injury or surgery, any metal clips, plates or other metal items in the head, cardiac pacemaker
- Subjects at high risk of violence or suicide as determined by the investigator and treating clinicians
- Substance dependence
- Conditions
- Schizophrenia
- Being tested
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, sham TMS
- Keywords
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Schizophrenia, Negative Symptoms
- Medical subject headings
- Schizophrenia
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Transcranial Magnetic StimulationDevice
Participants were sequentially randomly assigned to either 15 active bilateral treatments or 15 sham bilateral treatments that were administered on a daily basis, five days per week.
sham TMSDevice
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Active Treatment | Experimental | Bilateral high frequency (10 Hertz) rTMS Receives: Device: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation |
| Sham rTMS | Sham comparator | Bilateral Sham rTMS Receives: Device: sham TMS |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Scale for the Asessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS)
Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms [SANS]. This is a semi structured interview. Assessments are conducted on a six-point scale (0=not at all to 5=severe)with a total score range of 0-70. A score of >50 is considered to be a moderate-severe intensity.
Measured: 3 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Sep 2005 (estimated)
- Study startAug 2002
- Primary completionJul 2007
- Study completionJul 2007
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for SchizophreniaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 22 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The Alfred
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Assoc Professor Paul Fitzgerald, The Alfred
- Investigators
- Paul B Fitzgerald, MBBS, PhD, Principal investigator, Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00168311
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 81/02
- Acronym
- rTMS
- Status last verified
- Apr 2012
- First submitted
- 14 Sep 2005
- Last updated
- 14 May 2012
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 14 May 2012. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Repetitive Transcranial Magentic Stimulation (rTMS) in the Treatment of Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia and Related Disorders
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00168311
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- rTMS / 81/02
- Conditions
- Schizophrenia
- Keywords
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Schizophrenia, Negative Symptoms
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 22 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- The AlfredUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Aug 2002
- Primary completion
- Jul 2007 (actual)
- Study completion
- Jul 2007 (actual)
- First posted
- 15 Sep 2005 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 14 May 2012
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
There is pilot data to suggest the therapeutic value of rTMS applied to the left prefrontal cortex in the treatment of negative symptoms. Neuroimaging studies demonstrate abnormal activity in this region in patients experiencing negative symptoms. Finally rTMS applied at high frequency shows the capacity to up-regulate cortical activity in a way that would provide an explanation for a therapeutic response.
The study involves participants receiving 15 sessions of high frequency rTMS treatment applied bilaterally to the prefrontal cortex over a 3 week period or sham rTMS. Following this double blind phase, participants randomised to placebo treatment will be offered 15 sessions of active treatment.
In addition, ppTMS (paired pulse TMS) will be conducted prior to the onset of treatment and after completion of the course, as a means of measuring cortical inhibition and facilitation. NIRS (Near Infra red spectroscopy) will also be conducted prior to, during and after the first and last treatment sessions to allow monitoring of oxygenated and deoxygenated haemoglobin.
Detailed description
The main outcome measure used is the SANS (Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms. This is a semi strucutured interview which provides scores from 0-70. This is administered at baseline, week 2, 3, 5 and 6.
Other outcome measures administered are (frequency mentioned above): PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) and the Calgery Depression Scale for Schizophrenia, A cognitive battery is also administered.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, age over 18
- Persistent negative symptoms of moderate to severe intensity
- Failure to respond to a minimum of two antipsychotic medications
- No increase or initiation of new antipsychotic therapy in the four weeks prior to entering the trial Exclusion Criteria
- Prominent positive symptoms
- Have an unstable medical condition, neurological disorder or any history of seizure disorder or are currently pregnant or lactating
- Previous brain injury or surgery, any metal clips, plates or other metal items in the head, cardiac pacemaker
- Subjects at high risk of violence or suicide as determined by the investigator and treating clinicians
- Substance dependence
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Active Treatment | Experimental | Device: Transcranial Magnetic StimulationBilateral high frequency (10 Hertz) rTMS |
| Sham rTMS | Sham comparator | Device: sham TMSBilateral Sham rTMS |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, age over 18
- Persistent negative symptoms of moderate to severe intensity
- Failure to respond to a minimum of two antipsychotic medications
- No increase or initiation of new antipsychotic therapy in the four weeks prior to entering the trial
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Prominent positive symptoms
- Have an unstable medical condition, neurological disorder or any history of seizure disorder or are currently pregnant or lactating
- Previous brain injury or surgery, any metal clips, plates or other metal items in the head, cardiac pacemaker
- Subjects at high risk of violence or suicide as determined by the investigator and treating clinicians
- Substance dependence
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Transcranial Magnetic StimulationParticipants were sequentially randomly assigned to either 15 active bilateral treatments or 15 sham bilateral treatments that were administered on a daily basis, five days per week. | Device | Active Treatment |
| sham TMS | Device | Sham rTMS |
Primary outcome
Scale for the Asessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS)
Time frame: 3 weeks
Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms [SANS]. This is a semi structured interview. Assessments are conducted on a six-point scale (0=not at all to 5=severe)with a total score range of 0-70. A score of >50 is considered to be a moderate-severe intensity.
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 14 May 2012.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Paul B Fitzgerald, MBBS, PhD principal investigator
Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in people with Schizophrenia, run by The Alfred at 1 site in Australia.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 May 2012. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Australia. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 14 May 2012). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Scale for the Asessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) (time frame: 3 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 May 2012.