Cerebellar Modulation of Cognition in Psychosis
Start Date
7/31/2024
Completion Date
12/1/2029
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about cognition in psychotic disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder). The main question it aims to answer is: Can we use magnetic stimulation to change processing speed (how quickly people can solve challenging tasks). Participants will be asked to perform cognitive tasks (problem-solving) and undergo brain scans before and after transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). TMS is a way to non-invasively change brain activity. Forms of TMS are FDA-approved to treat depression and obsessive compulsive disorder. In this study, we will use a different form of TMS to temporarily change brain activity to observe how that changes speed in problem-solving.
Detailed Description
Psychotic disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and related illnesses are severe, debilitating, and often fatal. Cognitive impairments in psychosis are among the leading predictors of disability and poor quality of life; despite this, there are no first-line interventions to target these symptoms. This trial will test the hypothesis that cognitive performance in these disorders is modifiable and specifically that it can be modified non-invasively. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a neuromodulation technique that utilizes magnets to alter brain activity non-invasively. TMS has received FDA approval as a therapeutic intervention for multiple psychiatric disorders. In this study, we will use different forms of TMS to modulate a specific brain circuit and we will measure the outcomes of this circuit manipulation. These outcomes include performance on cognitive tests and also changes to the circuit itself that we can measure using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Eligibility Criteria
Age Range: 18 years to 55 years
Interventions
intermittant theta burst stimulation (iTBS)
continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS)
sham rTMS
Conditions
Locations
McLean Hospital
Belmont, Massachusetts 02478
United States
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts 02215
United States