Magnetic Seizure Therapy Versus Electroconvulsive Therapy for Schizophrenia

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Schizophrenia
• Interventions: Device: ThymatronSystem Ⅳ Electroconvulsive System; Device: Magpro X100; Other: Treatment as usual (TAU)

• Registration Number: NCT03007628
• Lead Sponsor: Shanghai Mental Health Center

Brief Summary

This trial attempts to evaluate the treatment efficacy of magnetic seizure therapy (MST) and its safety among schizophrenia patients. Half of the participants will be randomized to MST group, while the other half will be randomized to receive electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Detailed Description

Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is likely to be an alternative options to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Widespread stimulation of cortical and subcortical regions is inevitable for ECT since the substantial impedance of the scalp and skull shuts most of the electrical stimulus away from the brain. Nevertheless, magnetic pulses are capable to focus the stimulus to a specific area of the brain because they can pass the scalp and skull without resistance. In Addition, electric current will penetrate into deeper structures, while magnetic stimulus are only capable to reach a depth of a few centimeters. As a consequence, MST are able to generate focus stimuli on superficial regions of the cortex while ECT can't, which may give MST the capability to produce comparable therapeutic benefits with the absence of apparent cognitive side effects.

However, MST and ECT may both works via alterations of cortical inhibition and default mode network.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2016-10
• Study First Submitted: 2016-12-20
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-12-30
• Study First Posted: 2017-01-02
• Primary Completion: 2019-07
• Study Completion: 2019-07
• Status Verified: 2022-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-06-24
• Last Update Posted: 2022-06-27

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

1. DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia;
2. convulsive therapy clinically indicated, such as severe psychomotor excitement or retardation, attempts of suicide, being highly aggressive, pharmacotherapy intolerance, and ineffectiveness of antipsychotics;
3. the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS)[20] score ≥ 60;
4. informed consent in written form.

Exclusion Criteria

1. diagnosis of other mental disorders;
2. severe physical diseases, such as stroke, heart failure, liver failure, neoplasm, and immune deficiency;
3. present with a laboratory abnormality that could impact on efficacy of treatments or safety of participants;
4. failure to respond to an adequate trial of ECT lifetime;
5. are pregnant or intend to get pregnant during the study;
6. other conditions that investigators consider to be inappropriate to participate in this trial.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
electroconvulsive therapy	ThymatronSystem Ⅳ Electroconvulsive System	10 treatment sessions of modified-ECT, three times per week in the first two weeks, two times per in the following two weeks.
electroconvulsive therapy	Treatment as usual (TAU)	10 treatment sessions of modified-ECT, three times per week in the first two weeks, two times per in the following two weeks.
magnetic seizure therapy	Treatment as usual (TAU)	10 treatment sessions of MST, three times per week in the first two weeks, two times per in the following two weeks.
magnetic seizure therapy	Magpro X100	10 treatment sessions of MST, three times per week in the first two weeks, two times per in the following two weeks.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)	At baseline and 4-week follow-up
changes in brain structure	At baseline, the 1 day after the first treatment, and at 4-week follow-up	measured by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in resting state network (RSN)	At baseline, the day after the first treatment, and at 4-week follow-up	measured by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Changes in auditory evoked potential (AEP)	At baseline and the day after the first treatment	measured by electroencephalogram (EEG)
Changes in brain gamma-aminobutyric acid （GABA）levels	At baseline, between the first treatment and the second treatment, and at 4-week follow-up	measured by Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS)
Changes in motor threshold (MT)	At baseline and the day after the first treatment	using single-pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (sTMS)
Changes in Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS)	At baseline and 4-week follow-up
Changes in novel P300 potential	At baseline and the day after the first treatment	measure by electroencephalogram (EEG)
Changes in Clinical Global Impressions (CGI)	At baseline and 4-week follow-up

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Shanghai Mental Health Center; 🇨🇳 Shanghai, Shanghai, China