Combining HD-tDCS and iTBS in Treating Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Prior treatment

• Patients receiving medications that significantly change the seizure threshold;

Other illness

• Unstable medical conditions;
• Current psychiatric comorbidity or active substance use disorder (except for tobacco use disorders);
• History of meningitis, encephalitis, seizures, intracranial neoplasms or surgery, severe head injury or cerebrovascular disease, or a family history of seizures;
• rTMS or tDCS treatment within the past 6 months as well as a history of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT);
• A history of suicidal behavior within the past 6 months, or symptom worsening and emergence of suicidal ideation during the screening period.

Other

• Contraindications for MRI, tDCS or rTMS;
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding at the time of enrollment;
• Any skin lesion at the stimulation sites;

• Subjects diagnosed with DSM-5 schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder;
• With a clinical presentation characterized by predominant negative symptoms, as determined by psychiatric assessment and a score of at least 20 on the Negative Symptoms Subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS);
• Stable positive and negative symptoms for at least 4 weeks, as documented in medical records and confirmed by clinical judgment and psychiatric interview;