Studying Brain Stimulation to Improve Thinking Speed in Adults With Psychotic Disorders Using Magnetic Stimulation to Change Cognition in Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizoaffective Disorder

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating cognition in psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder. The study aims to understand if magnetic stimulation can influence processing speed, which reflects how quickly people solve challenging tasks. This research focuses on cognitive impairments that contribute to disability and poor quality of life, exploring a non-invasive method to temporarily alter brain activity. Participants will undergo different types of transcranial magnetic stimulation TMS including intermittent theta burst stimulation iTBS, continuous theta burst stimulation cTBS, and a sham placebo version. Each participant completes brain scans using magnetic resonance imaging MRI and cognitive testing before and after TMS sessions to observe changes in cognitive performance and brain circuits. The study uses these methods to compare the effects of the various TMS patterns on cognition. During the study, participants perform cognitive tasks and have MRI scans several times to measure brain activity and processing speed before and after each TMS session. The main outcomes measured include scores on cognitive tests such as the BACS Symbol Coding and BACS Digit Sequence tests, as well as functional MRI results. This study involves a randomized design with single masking and follows participants through multiple TMS visits to assess changes over time.

Cerebellar Modulation of Cognition in Psychosis