NCT01466439

Brief Summary

The repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a recent technique that has demonstrated its efficiency in both depression and schizophrenia. However if its efficiency has been recognized by the scientific community and the clinicians, its action on neurons and cerebral networks remains debated. In the motor regions, the different rTMS studies generally use frequencies of stimulation of 1 to 40 Hz with differential effects; the low frequencies being associated with an inhibitory effect whereas highest frequencies have rather some facilitator effects as attested by the motor responses. What is valid for the motor system is not however necessarily applicable to other cerebral regions that have different neuronal organizations. If it is easy to observe these opposite effects of rTMS on the motor system (presence or absence of movements), these potential effects on more integrated cortex involved in high level functions have not been proved. One of the possibilities to interpret the effects of the rTMS in no-motor cerebral regions would be to study the modifications of the EEG before and after rTMS and to see if a differential effect of the high and low frequencies of stimulation exists. Up to now, the studies having coupled these two techniques have observed modifications of the brain electric activity only during some seconds to minutes after rTMS, what appears in contrast with the clinical effects observed after a long delay (several days). The contribution of our research resides in the use of the paradigm of suppression of P50 evoked potential component before and after rTMS tested with low and high frequencies of stimulation. This paradigm consists in two identical auditory stimuli presented at a very short interval (generally 500 milliseconds), the second sound generating a P50 wave of weaker amplitude than the first or being completely abolished in healthy subjects. However, this effect that has been well studied could result from an inhibitory action due to the gabaergic interneurons on the pyramidal neurons of the cortex. Thus, the investigators hypothesize that high frequency rTMS would have a facilitator effect on temporal lobe and so would induce no suppression of the P50 after-rTMS whereas low frequency rTMS would induce an inhibitory effect marked by a greater suppression of the P50. Methods: 30 healthy subjects (of which 16 women) will be included after written consent. They will receive after randomization 2 sessions of rTMS in cross over at 1Hz and 20Hz at 30 days interval. An EEG and a P50 evoked potential will be done before and after rTMS. The site of stimulation will be determined by neuronavigation and will correspond to the maximal activation cluster generated by a language task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. The main judgment criterion is the S2/S1 ratio of the P50. The potential secondary effects will be evaluated (UKU adapted). The secondary criteria are the comparisons before and after rTMS of EEG spectrums in the alpha, beta and gamma bands.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
30

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for phase_2 depression

Timeline
Completed

Started May 2011

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

May 1, 2011

Completed
6 months until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

October 19, 2011

Completed
20 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

November 8, 2011

Completed
7 months until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

June 1, 2012

Completed
1 year until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

June 1, 2013

Completed
Last Updated

April 2, 2026

Status Verified

June 1, 2013

Enrollment Period

1.1 years

First QC Date

October 19, 2011

Last Update Submit

March 30, 2026

Conditions

Keywords

rTMSP50inhibitoryfacilitatoryphysiological processbrain changes

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • P50 Ratio Stimulation 2/S stimulation 1

    day of stimulation (day 1)

Study Arms (2)

high frequency rTMS

OTHER
Procedure: high-frequency of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

low frequency rTMS

OTHER
Procedure: low frequency of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

Interventions

frequency of stimulation of 1 Hz

low frequency rTMS

frequency of stimulation of 20 Hz

high frequency rTMS

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 60 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsAdult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • healthy subjects, right-handed, aged from 18 to 60 years
  • written consent
  • with social security

You may not qualify if:

  • pregnancy, breastfeeding
  • brain tumor or epilepsy
  • psychiatric, neurological or ear-nose-throat disorders, current or past
  • healthy subjects with psychotropic drugs or with substance abuses
  • healthy subjects with tabacco weaning
  • protected major with tutor
  • counter-indication to MRI and rTMS

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Caen University Hospital, department of psychiatry and explorations fonctionnelles neurologiques

Caen, France

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Nathou C, Etard O, Simon G, Dollfus S. How do high- and low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulations modulate the temporal cortex. Psychophysiology. 2015 Feb;52(2):192-8. doi: 10.1111/psyp.12323. Epub 2014 Sep 16.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

DepressionSchizophrenia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral SymptomsBehaviorSchizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic DisordersMental Disorders

Study Officials

  • Pr Sonia Dollfus, MD, PhD

    University Hospital, Caen

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 2
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
BASIC SCIENCE
Intervention Model
CROSSOVER
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

October 19, 2011

First Posted

November 8, 2011

Study Start

May 1, 2011

Primary Completion

June 1, 2012

Study Completion

June 1, 2013

Last Updated

April 2, 2026

Record last verified: 2013-06

Locations