Could a magnet boost the schizophrenic brain?
NCT ID NCT05389787
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tests whether a non-invasive magnetic brain stimulation technique called TMS can improve brain connectivity and thinking skills in people with schizophrenia. Forty adults will receive either real or sham TMS daily for four weeks, and researchers will measure changes using brain scans and cognitive tests. The goal is to see if targeting the cerebellum can help with cognitive symptoms that current medications often miss.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a non-drug way to improve thinking and brain function in people with schizophrenia.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early pilot study with only 40 people. It may not show clear benefits, and any improvements might not last or apply to everyone.
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
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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
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About 40 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2022
- Expected to finish
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Aug 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 60 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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: 1. Male or female subjects 18 to 60 years of age 2. DSM-V diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders 3. Competent to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: 1. Lifetime DSM-V diagnosis of an Axis-I disorder other than schizophrenia spectrum disorders 2. Lifetime diagnosis of ataxia or other cerebellar disorders 3. Lifetime diagnosis of mental retardation, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, or other neurodegenerative disorders 4. Any active general medical condition or CNS disease which can affect cognition or response to treatment 5. Substance dependence or abuse in the past six months 6. Seizure history 7. TMS within three months or ECT within six months 8. Pregnancy as indicated by self-report 9. MRI contraindications
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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.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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
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Zucker Hillside Hospital
RECRUITINGNew York, New York, 11004, United States
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