Temporal Interference for Drug Resistant Epilepsy (TIE)

July 15, 2026 updated by: Liankun_Ren, Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing

Noninvasive Temporal Interference Stimulation for the Treatment of Drug Resistant Epilepsy

This single-center prospective study aims to investigate the treatment efficacy of temporal interference (TI) in drug-resistant epilepsy patients aged 6-60.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Temporal Interference (TI) technology is a novel non-invasive method for deep brain stimulation (DBS). By generating an overlapping electric field from safe currents, TI creates focused stimulation in targeted deep brain areas. This approach allows for the exploration of deep brain nuclei functions and has the potential to serve as a non-invasive alternative to traditional invasive DBS for clinical treatments.

This study aims to investigate the treatment efficacy of TI deep brain stimulation by including drug-resistant patients aged 6-60. During and after TI stimulation, clinical and electrophysiology data will be recorded. Clinical, imaging and electrophysiology data will be analyzed and processed to advance the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
    • Beijing Municipality
      • Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China, 100053
        • Recruiting
        • Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Participants are between the ages of 6 -60 years of age.
  • Patients must be clinically evaluated as having drug resistant epilepsy.
  • Persistence of disabling seizures at least 2 times per months or greater.
  • Informed consent signed.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures within 12 months;
  • Presence of implanted electrical stimulation medical device anywhere in the body (e.g., pacemaker, spinal cord stimulator, responsive neurostimulation) or any metallic implants in the head (e.g., aneurysm clips, cochlear implants). Note: Vagal nerve stimulators are allowed if the parameter remains stable for at least 3 months prior to the screening visit;
  • Risk factors that would put the participant at risk for intraoperative or postoperative bleeding. (e.g., coagulation abnormalities, etc.) or the need for chronic anticoagulation or antiplatelet aggregation medications; IQ < 55 or severe cognitive dysfunction, unable to complete the study; Diagnosed with a progressive neurological disorder (including progressive Rasmussen's encephalitis, etc.);
  • Diagnosed with a severe neuropsychiatric disorder such as dementia, major depression (admission to a psychiatric specialty/hospital within 5 years or any suicidal or self-injurious tendencies), schizophrenia, or neurodegenerative disorders;
  • Diagnosed with other serious physical disorders, internal diseases or severe abnormalities in liver or kidney function; Pregnant, or planning to pregnant within 2 years; Participation in another clinical study within 3 months; Not suitable for enrollment as assessed by the multidisciplinary team of the center.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Temporal Interference
The investigators perform temporal interference (TI) stimulation to patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. They observe clinical manifestations before, during, and after stimulation to investigate the efficiency of TI.
Other: Temporal Interference
Researchers apply temporal interference (TI) stimulation to the deep brain nuclei of drug resistant epilepsy patients.
Other Names:
  • TI

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Seizure Frequency (SF28)
Time Frame: Up to 1 year after TI stimulation

Seizure frequency (SF28) is defined as seizure count per month (28-day) period. The SF28 is calculated as follows, where D=total number of days for which seizure information is collected for the specific 28-day interval:

SF28=(Total number of seizures in D days/D)*28. In addition, the baseline seizure frequency is defined as mean of 3- month SF28 in the baseline period. The seizure frequency in double-blind phase is defined as SF28 per month during the double-blind period. Percent change in seizure frequency=100*(double-blind SF28-baseline SF28)/baseline SF28.
Up to 1 year after TI stimulation

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Seizure Responder Rate
Time Frame: Up to 1 year after TI stimulation
The proportion of patients with a ≥ 50% reduction from Baseline in seizure frequency.
Up to 1 year after TI stimulation
Life quality evaluation
Time Frame: Up to 1 year after TI stimulation
Percentage change from baseline in Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 inventory (QOLIE-31) score. The minimum and maximum values, and whether higher scores mean a better or worse outcome.
Up to 1 year after TI stimulation
Cognitive function evaluation (MMSE)
Time Frame: Up to 1 year after TI stimulation
Percentage change from baseline in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. The MMSE score ranges from 0 to 30, with higher scores representing better cognitive function and lower scores indicating greater cognitive impairment.
Up to 1 year after TI stimulation
Cognitive function evaluation (MoCA)
Time Frame: Up to 1 year after TI stimulation
Percentage change from baseline in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score. The MoCA score ranges from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating better cognitive function and lower scores suggesting greater cognitive impairment.
Up to 1 year after TI stimulation
Adverse Events
Time Frame: Up to 1 year after TI stimulation
Rate of adverse events which were judged to be study-related throughout the study.
Up to 1 year after TI stimulation
Incidence of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP)
Time Frame: Up to 1 year after TI stimulation
The number presented is for Definite and Probable SUDEP. The rate is calculated per 1000 subject years of follow-up.
Up to 1 year after TI stimulation

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Liankun Ren, MD, Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 30, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 30, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
November 30, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
November 23, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 23, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 27, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 15, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2024-316-002

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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