Purpose of the study: Evaluate the effect of deep repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (deep rTMS; hereafter abbreviated as "dTMS") on synaptic density measured with positron emission tomography (PET) and the radiotracer \[11C\]UCB-J. The investigators also seek to link plasticity changes in the regions targeted by the electric field (especially, the insula) to changes in the functioning of insula circuits and behavioral cigarette usage in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ). Importance of the study: This is the first study designed to directly evaluate the mechanism of action (MOA) of dTMS for smoking disruption in patients with SCZ. Patients with SCZ are a vulnerable population in high, immediate need of new smoking therapeutics for reducing premature morbidity and mortality.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
38
First, the investigators will find the position of the right abductor pollicis brevis (APB) motor cortex, finding the minimal motor threshold (MT) required for its activation, which determines the strength of the pulses. After determining the MT, dTMS stimulation is applied 6 cm anterior to the motor "hot spot", at 120% of the MT. The target threshold is built toward gradually. During the first treatment, participants receive stimulation at 100% of the MT. During the second treatment, stimulation intensity increases to 110% of the MT. Beginning at the third treatment and continuing onward, participants receive treatment at 120% of the MT for the course of the treatment.
Sham group will go through the same procedure. The only difference is that the sham card does not deliver stimulation.
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York, United States
RECRUITINGInsula synaptic density
PET with UCB-J will be used to look at synaptic density pre/post intervention
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 3 weeks
Smoking self-administration
Laboratory tobacco self-administration will be examined pre/post the intervention as a measure of smoking vigor
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 3 weeks
Insula-centric functional connectivity
fMRI will be used to look at insula circuit functional connectivity pre/post intervention
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 3 weeks
Symptoms of Psychosis
The positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) will be used to measure symptoms of schizophrenia
Time frame: up to 4 times over 3 weeks
Nicotine Craving
Craving will be assessed using two self-report items
Time frame: post dTMS over 3 weeks
Cigarettes per Day
Timeline Follow-back Calendars will be administered pre-dTMS and post-dTMS
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 3 weeks
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