Neuronavigated rTMS for Treatment-Resistant Auditory Hallucinations (fuNEEG)

September 23, 2026 updated by: Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich

Functional Neuronavigated EEG and TMS-treatment of Chronic Acoustic Hallucinations

Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH), such as hearing voices in the absence of an external sound source, are a common and distressing symptom of schizophrenia. In some patients, hallucinations persist despite treatment with antipsychotic medication. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that may reduce auditory hallucinations by decreasing activity in brain regions involved in auditory and language processing.

This randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study will investigate whether individualized, neuronavigated inhibitory rTMS can reduce persistent auditory verbal hallucinations. Forty adults with medication-resistant auditory hallucinations will be randomly assigned to receive either active rTMS or sham stimulation.

For each participant, the stimulation target in the primary auditory cortex will be individually identified using electroencephalography (EEG), acoustic evoked potentials, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based neuronavigation. Participants will receive two rTMS sessions per day for five consecutive days. The severity of auditory hallucinations will be assessed before and after treatment and at a 28-day follow-up.

The study will also investigate whether treatment is associated with changes in brain activity and functional connectivity measured by EEG, including changes in the P300 event-related potential.

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.

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.
40

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 Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Switzerland
      • Zurich, Switzerland, 8032
        • Recruiting
        • Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich
        • Contact:
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Tobias Welt, Dr. med.

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

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Written informed consent provided prior to participation

  • Age 18 to 65 years

  • Medication-resistant auditory hallucinations, defined as:

    • At least two adequate trials of antipsychotic medication
    • At least one of these trials with an atypical antipsychotic medication
    • At least five episodes of auditory hallucinations per day during the preceding month
    • Stable antipsychotic medication for at least 6 weeks

  • Current treatment at the Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich (PUK), either in an outpatient clinic, day clinic, or inpatient ward

  • Sufficient knowledge of German to understand the study procedures and assessments

  • Ability to follow study procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Contraindications to TMS treatment, including cochlear implants, metallic devices close to the TMS coil, history of stroke, head injury, or seizures/epilepsy
  • History of epileptic convulsive seizures or epileptiform potentials in previous EEG examinations
  • TMS treatment within the 3 months preceding study inclusion
  • Known severe hypersensitivity or severe adverse reaction to TMS
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Intention to become pregnant during the study
  • Major somatic comorbidities, such as renal failure, hepatic dysfunction, heart failure, or cardiovascular disease
  • Current treatment with any drug that lowers the seizure threshold
  • Known or suspected non-compliance, drug abuse, or alcohol abuse
  • Vulnerable subjects (children, pregnant women, elderly persons)
  • Inability to follow study procedures, for example due to language problems, psychological disorder, dementia, or other conditions interfering with participation
  • Participation in another study involving investigational treatment within the 30 days preceding study inclusion or during the present study
  • Current electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
  • Previous enrollment in the present study
  • Investigator, family member of the investigator, employee, or other dependent person
  • Contraindications or limitations related to the medical device as specified in the instructions for use

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: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

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: Active rTMS

Participants receive individualized, neuronavigated inhibitory rTMS targeting the primary auditory cortex. The stimulation target is individually determined using EEG-based auditory evoked potentials and MRI-based neuronavigation. Treatment is administered twice daily for five consecutive days.
Device: Neuronavigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

Individualized neuronavigated inhibitory rTMS is applied to the primary auditory cortex. The individual stimulation target is determined using EEG-based auditory evoked potentials and MRI-based neuronavigation. Stimulation is delivered at 1 Hz on five consecutive days, with a total of 12,000 magnetic pulses administered over the treatment course.
Sham Comparator: Sham rTMS

Participants undergo the same treatment schedule and neuronavigation procedures as the active rTMS group using a sham coil that is visually and acoustically similar to the active coil but does not deliver active magnetic stimulation.
Device: Sham repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

Sham stimulation is administered using the same neuronavigation procedures and treatment schedule as active rTMS. A sham coil visually and acoustically resembling the active coil is used but does not deliver active magnetic stimulation.

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
Change From Baseline in Auditory Vocal Hallucination Rating Scale (AVHRS) Score Immediately After Treatment
Time Frame: Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period

Change from baseline in auditory hallucination severity assessed with the Auditory Vocal Hallucination Rating Scale (AVHRS), a structured interview assessing multiple characteristics of auditory hallucinations, including frequency, duration, location, loudness, negative content, distress, interference with daily life, perceived control, anxiety, and interference with thinking.
Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period

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
Change From Baseline in Auditory Vocal Hallucination Rating Scale (AVHRS) Score at Day 28
Time Frame: Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment

Change from baseline in auditory hallucination severity assessed with the Auditory Vocal Hallucination Rating Scale (AVHRS), a structured interview assessing multiple characteristics of auditory hallucinations, including frequency, duration, location, loudness, negative content, distress, interference with daily life, perceived control, anxiety, and interference with thinking.
Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment
Change From Baseline in PSYRATS Auditory Hallucinations Subscale Score Immediately After Treatment
Time Frame: Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period

Change from baseline in the Auditory Hallucinations subscale of the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS). The subscale consists of 11 items scored from 0 to 4, yielding a total score from 0 to 44. Higher scores indicate greater auditory hallucination severity.
Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period
Change From Baseline in PSYRATS Delusions Subscale Score Immediately After Treatment
Time Frame: Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period

Change from baseline in the Delusions subscale of the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS). The subscale consists of 6 items scored from 0 to 4, yielding a total score from 0 to 24. Higher scores indicate greater delusion severity.
Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period
Change From Baseline in PSYRATS Combined Score Immediately After Treatment
Time Frame: Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period

Change from baseline in the combined Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS) score, calculated as the sum of the Auditory Hallucinations and Delusions subscale scores. The combined score ranges from 0 to 68, with higher scores indicating greater overall psychotic symptom severity.
Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period
Change From Baseline in PSYRATS Auditory Hallucinations Subscale Score at Day 28
Time Frame: Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment

Change from baseline in the Auditory Hallucinations subscale of the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS). The subscale consists of 11 items scored from 0 to 4, yielding a total score from 0 to 44. Higher scores indicate greater auditory hallucination severity.
Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment
Change From Baseline in PSYRATS Delusions Subscale Score at Day 28
Time Frame: Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment

Change from baseline in the Delusions subscale of the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS). The subscale consists of 6 items scored from 0 to 4, yielding a total score from 0 to 24. Higher scores indicate greater delusion severity.
Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment
Change From Baseline in PSYRATS Combined Score at Day 28
Time Frame: Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment

Change from baseline in the combined Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS) score, calculated as the sum of the Auditory Hallucinations and Delusions subscale scores. The combined score ranges from 0 to 68, with higher scores indicating greater overall psychotic symptom severity.
Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment
Change From Baseline in Auditory Vocal Hallucination Rating Scale Questionnaire (AVHRS-Q) Total Score Immediately After Treatment
Time Frame: Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period

Change from baseline in the total score of the Auditory Vocal Hallucination Rating Scale Questionnaire (AVHRS-Q), a self-report measure assessing characteristics and severity of auditory vocal hallucinations. Higher scores indicate greater severity of auditory vocal hallucinations.
Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period
Change From Baseline in Auditory Vocal Hallucination Rating Scale Questionnaire (AVHRS-Q) Total Score at Day 28
Time Frame: Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment

Change from baseline in the total score of the Auditory Vocal Hallucination Rating Scale Questionnaire (AVHRS-Q), a self-report measure assessing characteristics and severity of auditory vocal hallucinations. Higher scores indicate greater severity of auditory vocal hallucinations.
Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment
Change From Baseline in Self-assessment of Auditory Verbal Hallucinations (SAVH) Total Score Immediately After Treatment
Time Frame: Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period

Change from baseline in the total score of the Self-assessment of Auditory Verbal Hallucinations (SAVH), a 9-item self-report measure assessing auditory verbal hallucinations during the preceding week. Each item is scored from 0 to 5, yielding a total score from 0 to 45. Higher scores indicate greater severity of auditory verbal hallucinations.
Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period
Change From Baseline in Self-assessment of Auditory Verbal Hallucinations (SAVH) Total Score at Day 28
Time Frame: Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment

Change from baseline in the total score of the Self-assessment of Auditory Verbal Hallucinations (SAVH), a 9-item self-report measure assessing auditory verbal hallucinations during the preceding week. Each item is scored from 0 to 5, yielding a total score from 0 to 45. Higher scores indicate greater severity of auditory verbal hallucinations.
Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment
Change From Baseline in Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) Score Immediately After Treatment
Time Frame: Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period

Change from baseline in illness severity assessed using the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) scale. CGI-S is rated from 1 to 7, with higher scores indicating greater illness severity.
Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period
Change From Baseline in Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) Score at Day 28
Time Frame: Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment

Change from baseline in illness severity assessed using the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) scale. CGI-S is rated from 1 to 7, with higher scores indicating greater illness severity.
Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment
Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) Score Immediately After Treatment
Time Frame: Immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period

Overall change in clinical condition assessed using the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale. CGI-I is rated from 1 to 7, where 1 indicates very much improved, 4 indicates no change, and 7 indicates very much worse.
Immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period
Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) Score at Day 28
Time Frame: Day 28 after completion of treatment

Overall change in clinical condition assessed using the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale. CGI-I is rated from 1 to 7, where 1 indicates very much improved, 4 indicates no change, and 7 indicates very much worse.
Day 28 after completion of treatment
Change From Baseline in Auditory P300 Parameters Immediately After Treatment
Time Frame: Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period

Change from baseline in auditory P300 event-related potential parameters measured by EEG during an auditory Oddball paradigm. P300 amplitude and latency elicited by target stimuli will be evaluated and compared between baseline and post-treatment recordings.
Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period
Change From Baseline in Auditory P300 Parameters at Day 28
Time Frame: Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment

Change from baseline in auditory P300 event-related potential parameters measured by EEG during an auditory Oddball paradigm. P300 amplitude and latency elicited by target stimuli will be evaluated and compared between baseline and Day-28 recordings.
Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment
Change From Baseline in EEG Functional Connectivity Immediately After Treatment
Time Frame: Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period

Change from baseline in functional brain connectivity assessed using EEG and source localization with low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA). Treatment-related changes in functional connectivity between cortical brain regions will be evaluated by comparing baseline and post-treatment EEG recordings.
Baseline to immediately after completion of the 5-day treatment period
Change From Baseline in EEG Functional Connectivity at Day 28
Time Frame: Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment

Change from baseline in functional brain connectivity assessed using EEG and source localization with low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA). Treatment-related changes in functional connectivity between cortical brain regions will be evaluated by comparing baseline and Day-28 EEG recordings.
Baseline to Day 28 after completion of treatment

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.
Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich

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.
  • Study Director: Sebastian Olbrich, Prof. Dr. med., Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik Zürich

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.
June 11, 2026

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 1, 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 1, 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).
September 23, 2026

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.
September 23, 2026

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.
October 2, 2026

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.
October 2, 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.
September 23, 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.
September 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.
  • fuNEEG
  • Bangerter-Rhyner-Foundation (Other Grant/Funding Number: Gottfried & Julia Bangerter-Rhyner-Stiftung)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data are not planned to be made publicly available. Potential reuse of pseudonymized data may be considered in accordance with participant consent and applicable ethical and data protection requirements.

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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