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Efficacy and Mechanisms of Low-intensity Focused Ultrasound on Negative Symptoms in Patients With Schizophrenia

Efficacy and Mechanisms of Low-intensity Focused Ultrasound on Negative Symptoms in Patients With Schizophrenia

Status
UNKNOWN
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04620460
Enrollment
40
Registered
2020-11-09
Start date
2020-08-05
Completion date
2022-07-31
Last updated
2021-08-19

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Keywords

Low-intensity Focused Ultrasound, Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia Patients

Brief summary

Based on our research background, we hypothesize that LIFUS has neuromodulation effects on brain cortex and the active LIFUS on left-DLPFC would improve negative symptoms in schizophrenia patients. It would firstly verify the safety of LIFUS on human as well. The multimodal MRI will be contributed to investigate the possible mechanism of negative symptoms.

Detailed description

Firstly, we plan to explore the short-term effects of LIFUS on cortical excitability by detecting the MEP amplitude. 40 patients and relatively well matched healthy-control would be enrolled. After MEP detection and baseline evaluations, the two groups will be treated with one-single intervention on the primary motor cortex. The cognitive function and MEP amplitude will be assessed respectively at the moment, after 15 minutes and 30 minutes. Then, it is a randomized double-blind sham-controlled LIFUS intervention trial in schizophrenia patients. After screening and baseline evaluations, the 40 patients with schizophrenia will be treated with active LIFUS or sham stimulation for 3 weeks on the left DLPFC. The multimodal MRI will be acquired. Clinical symptoms and cognitive function will be assessed respectively at baseline, at the end of fifth treatments and after the end of the treatment.

Interventions

DEVICELow-intensity Focused Ultrasound(LIFUS)

Patients with schizophrenia will be treated with active LIFUS or sham stimulation for 3 weeks on the left DLPFC.

Sponsors

Shanghai Mental Health Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 50 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Inclusion Criteria (patients): 1. Meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder; 2. Age18-50, right-handed, Han nationality; 3. the score of at least 1 item from N1 to N7 is ≥4 (moderate or above); 4. Be in a stable condition, received second-generation antipsychotics for at least 4 weeks or more; 5. Written informed consent; *

Exclusion criteria

(patients): 1. Current or past neurological illness, severe physical diseases, substance abuse or alcohol dependence, mental retardation, pregnant or lactation; 2. Uncooperative or risky patients with high excitement, stupor, disorder of words and deeds, negative suicide, etc.; 3. A history of MECT or other physical therapy within 6 months; 4. A history of epilepsy, or epileptic waves on the baseline EEG; 5. Ruled out share antiepileptic drugs, carbamazepine, valproic acid salt) or larger doses of benzodiazepines drugs (\> 10 mg/day, diazepam clonazepam 2 mg/day, 1 mg/day, alprazolam lorazepam 2 mg/day, midazolam 10 mg/day, 20 mg/day, Mr Shah diazepam triazolam 0.5 mg/day), avoid the use of chlorine drug, (in principle, to avoid the use of antiepileptic drugs and clonazepam;Other antipsychotic drugs, if necessary, remain unchanged during the course of treatment; 6. Contraindications to LIFUS and MRI are present.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Clinical Symptoms-PANSSbaseline and 15 daysChange from baseline in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS)
Clinical Symptoms-SANSbaseline and 15 daysChange from baseline in the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms(SANS)

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Cognitive Functionbaseline, after the fifth treatment and 15 daysChange from baseline in the Brief Cognition Test (C-BCT)
Change of brain neuroimagingbaseline, fifth treatment and 15th treatmentBrain structure, Resting-state fMRI data, Arterial Spin Labeling(ASL), 1H-MRS in DLPFC are acquired.
Cortex Excitabilitybaseline,the moment after the intervention, after 15 minutes and 30 minutesMEP amplitude

Countries

China

Contacts

Primary ContactDengtang LIU
erliu110@126.com18017311138
Backup ContactQiong Xiang
xiangqiongxl@126.com13817369060

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026