Zapping two brain regions may ease Schizophrenia's toughest symptoms
NCT ID NCT06740747
First seen Sep 18, 2026 · Last updated Sep 18, 2026
Summary
Researchers at Hannover Medical School are testing whether intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, can reduce negative symptoms and improve thinking in people with schizophrenia. The trial enrolls 60 adults aged 18 to 65 with a schizophrenia diagnosis. Participants receive 10 sessions over two weeks, with stimulation applied to the cerebellum and the left prefrontal cortex, and researchers compare active iTBS to a sham version to see if it helps.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- intermittent theta-burst stimulation, a non-invasive brain stimulation technique
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a non-drug option for negative symptoms and cognitive problems in schizophrenia, which current medications often do not address well.
- What could go wrong
- The trial is small and early, so any benefit may not hold up in larger studies. Brain stimulation can cause scalp discomfort or headaches, and the sham comparison means some participants receive no active stimulation.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Apr 2025
- Expected to finish
-
Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 65 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of schizophrenia (ICD-10: F20.-) * Age: 18-65 years * Ability to give informed consent * Signed informed consent form Exclusion Criteria: * Any electronic implants * Non-MRI-compatible metal implants (e.g., pacemaker, cochlear implant, insulin pump, metal fragment injuries, work in the metal-processing industry) * Non-TMS-compatible metal implants (compatible items include: earrings, piercings, dental fillings, crowns, implants) * Claustrophobia * Epilepsy * History of traumatic brain injury within the last 3 months * History of stroke * Active central nervous system (CNS) infection * History of CNS infection within the last 3 months * Pregnancy * Current drug, medication, or alcohol abuse * Simultaneous participation in another clinical trial * Planned changes in psychopharmacological medication within the next 2 weeks * Severe physical illnesses that could endanger the patient, affect the examinations or make the MRI scanning cause additional burden
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Schizophrenia patients are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Hannover Medical School
RECRUITINGHanover, Lower Saxony, 30625, Germany
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.