Personalized rTMS treatment for patients with persistent auditory hallucinations
Official title: RTMS for Refractory Auditory Hallucinations Based on Personalized Targets Using Magnetoencephalography
Run by Shanghai Mental Health Center · NCT06802939 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a personalized brain treatment using magnetic stimulation to see if it can help people with schizophrenia who hear persistent voices feel better.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 13 Years to 55 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 36 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Shanghai Mental Health Center Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Shanghai) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 5, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 10, 2026 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | February 14, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT06802939 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are right-handed individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia who experience persistent auditory hallucinations despite adequate antipsychotic treatment.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with major physical illnesses, recent MECT treatment, or contraindications for rTMS are unlikely to benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study focuses on patients with refractory auditory hallucinations, particularly those diagnosed with schizophrenia. It employs magnetoencephalography (MEG) to identify individualized brain targets for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment. The intervention consists of a structured regimen of rTMS sessions aimed at reducing the severity of auditory hallucinations, with careful monitoring and evaluation of patient responses throughout the process. The study aims to explore the effectiveness of personalized treatment plans based on precise brain localization.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly reduce the severity of auditory hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia, improving their quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: While the use of rTMS for auditory hallucinations has been explored, this study's personalized approach using MEG for target localization is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia * Must be able to right-handed * Primary school education or above * Understand and sign a written informed consent form (jointly signed by the guardian and the participant if under 18 years old) * Existence of persistent auditory hallucinations (defined as: taking sufficient antipsychotic medication for at least 6 months, combined with 3 antipsychotic medications still ineffective, and no significant improvement in auditory hallucinations symptoms, with an AHRS score still\>12) Exclusion Criteria: * MECT treatment within the past 3 months * Major physical illnesses (organic lesions such as sensory and motor disorders, neurological disorders, and traumatic brain injury) * Taboo symptoms for rTMS treatment (such as intracranial metal implants) * Aggressive behavior and an impulse to damage equipment * Metal (including orthodontic treatment, dental implants) and tattoos inside the body * Claustrophobia
Where it's running
-
Shanghai Mental Health Center
Shanghai, China Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Yegang Hu, Doctor
- Email: yeganghu@126.com
- Phone: +86-21-52219305
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.