Evaluation of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in the Treatment of Mood Disorders

July 12, 2006 updated by: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Evaluation of rTMS in the Treatment of Mood Disorders

This study is designed to evaluate repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as a potential treatment for depression. In rTMS, a rapidly changing magnetic field passes through your scalp and skull and generates a small electrical pulses in your brain. rTMS at lower intensities has helped some people with depression but we do not know what the results will be in your case using higher intensities, or whether you will be randomized to 3 weeks of high frequency (20 cycles er second), low frequency (1 cycle per second), or inactive (sham)rTMS. You will be assigned to receive one of these types of rTMS over the left front art of your brain five times per week for the three weeks. Each rTMS treatment session should take between 20-30 minutes of actual stimulation, but weekly ratings, memory testing, and blood sampling may require several hours per week. We will also ask you to have brain imaging procedures to see if these will predict response to high vs. low frequency rTMS. If you are randomized to the 3 weeks of sham rTMS, you will have the opportunity to receive one of the active stimulation frequencies for an additional 3 weeks. Responders to any phase will be offered an additional month of rTMS prior to study termination and recommendations of alternative treatments.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a new technique for activating the brain noninvasively through the scalp and skull. It has proven effective in producing localized effects on brain function and has opened many areas of human brain function to direct investigation. Preliminary data also suggest potential therapeutic applications in neuropsychiatric illness. We plan to further investigate the possible therapeutic use of rTMS in depression under conditions of high frequency (20 Hz), low (1Hz) frequency, and sham and to also examine possible cognitive or endocrine effects. Among the priorities of this protocol will be to further evaluate the risks of the technique.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

91

Phase

  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Maryland
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
        • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 90 years (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA

All patients will receive a psychiatric and physical examination by a qualified physician.

Patients will be from 18 to 90 years of age and must give informed consent.

Unipolar patients must be medication free to participate. Patients with bipolar disorder depression may be medication-free or on any combination (including monotherapy) of lithium, carbamazepine, and valproate. Inpatient monitoring will be provided when medically indicated.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

Reasons for exclusion will be the presence of cardiac pacemakers, medication pumps, cochlear implants or metal objects in the head or eyes that could be dangerous if heated or moved by the magnetic pulses.

General contraindications to rTMS or a current diagnosis of alcohol or substance abuse.

Subjects having serious medical illnesses or meeting current psychoactive substance dependence will be excluded from entry.

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

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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

May 1, 1996

Study Completion

July 1, 2006

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 3, 1999

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 3, 1999

First Posted (Estimate)

November 4, 1999

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

July 13, 2006

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 12, 2006

Last Verified

July 1, 2006

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 960086
  • 96-M-0086

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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