Combined rTMS and Relaxation in Chronic Tinnitus

NCT ID: NCT01907022

Last Updated: 2015-03-12

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 42 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2013-07-31
• Study Completion Date: 2014-10-31

Brief Summary

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in combination with relaxation therapy is used to modulate the neural pathways contributing to the perception and distress of phantom sounds.

Detailed Description

Tinnitus is the phantom auditory perception of sound in the absence of an external or internal acoustic stimulus. It is a frequent problem which can interfere significantly with the ability to lead a normal life. One significant modulator of tinnitus is stress. Tinnitus has been shown to be generated in the brain, as a result of functional reorganization of auditory neural pathways and the central auditory system. Also non-auditory cortical areas of attention allocation and emotional processing was shown to be involved. Treatment remains difficult. The most effective treatment in chronic tinnitus is cognitive behavioral therapy including elements of relaxation therapy. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is also effective in treatment of tinnitus with moderate effect size. Pilot data were positive for low-frequency rTMS applied to the temporoparietal areas and high-frequency rTMS applied to the left frontal cortex. Newer findings indicate that exercise-combined non-invasive brain stimulation might show superior effects in contrast to rTMS or exercise alone. Combination of relaxation and two-sided (frontal and temporo-parietal) rTMS will be examined with regard to feasibility, safety and clinical efficacy in patients suffering from chronic tinnitus in a pilot trial.

Conditions

Chronic Tinnitus

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) Butterfly Coil

High frequency rTMS ( Alpine Biomed Mag Pro Option): 2000 stimuli of 20 Hz over the left DLPFC (each session), Butterfly-water-cooled-Coil, 110% motor threshold; followed by: low frequency rTMS ( Alpine Biomed Mag Pro Option) applied over left temporoparietal cortex, Butterfly-water-cooled-Coil (2000 Stimuli of 1 Hz each session), 110% motor threshold. Relaxation therapy during the 1Hz stimulation with external audio tape instructions.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Left DLPFC Butterfly Coil

Intervention Type: DEVICE

High frequency rTMS ( Alpine Biomed Mag Pro Option): 2000 stimuli of 20 Hz over the left DLPFC (each session), Butterfly-water-cooled-Coil, 110% motor threshold; followed by: low frequency rTMS ( Alpine Biomed Mag Pro Option) applied over left temporoparietal cortex, Butterfly-water-cooled-Coil (2000 Stimuli of 1 Hz each session), 110% motor threshold. Relaxation therapy during the 1Hz stimulation with external audio tape instructions.

Arms: Left DLPFC Butterfly Coil

Interventions

Left DLPFC Butterfly Coil

High frequency rTMS ( Alpine Biomed Mag Pro Option): 2000 stimuli of 20 Hz over the left DLPFC (each session), Butterfly-water-cooled-Coil, 110% motor threshold; followed by: low frequency rTMS ( Alpine Biomed Mag Pro Option) applied over left temporoparietal cortex, Butterfly-water-cooled-Coil (2000 Stimuli of 1 Hz each session), 110% motor threshold. Relaxation therapy during the 1Hz stimulation with external audio tape instructions.

Arms: Left DLPFC Butterfly Coil

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Diagnosis of bothersome, subjective chronic tinnitus
• Duration of tinnitus more than 6 months

Exclusion Criteria

• Objective tinnitus
• Treatable cause of the tinnitus
• Involvement in other treatments for tinnitus at the same time
• Clinically relevant psychiatric comorbidity
• Clinically relevant unstable internal or neurological comorbidity
• History of or evidence of significant brain malformation or neoplasm, head injury
• Cerebral vascular events
• Neurodegenerative disorder affecting the brain or prior brain surgery
• Metal objects in and around body that can not be removed
• Pregnancy
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Prior treatment with TMS

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 70 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University of Regensburg

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Berthold Langguth, MD, Ph.D.

MD, PhD

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Berthold Langguth, MD, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Regensburg - Dept of Psychiatry

Locations

University of Regensburg - Dept of Psychiatry

Regensburg, , Germany

Countries

Germany

Other Identifiers

Uni-Reg-Ti-CDC01-RELAX

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id