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RecruitingNCT05884112Updated Jun 1, 2023

Treating Comorbid Depression of Patients With Narcolepsy by Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation

An interventional study of "MAGSTIM" reprtitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator (rTMS) System and sham control in Narcolepsy, sponsored by Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Recruiting at 1 site in Taiwan. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-06-01.

Sponsored by Chang Gung Memorial Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Jun 2025, 1 year 5 months ago, but the record still lists the study as recruiting.
  • Started Feb 2023; still recruiting 3 years 8 months later.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
105
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 60 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Narcolepsy is a chronic brain disorder. The mechanism is the impairment of brain controlling of sleep and wakefulness. The cause of this disease is still unclear, but common symptoms include excessive day time sleepiness, cataplexy, hypnogogic hallucination, sleep paralysis, and sleep disturbance. Because these symptoms are easily confused together in many situations, it is difficult for doctors to make the diagnosis. Therefore, medical treatment for patients is always delayed. According to previous research report, narcoleptic patients are often delay diagnosis for 10 to 15 years after the onset of the disease. Clearly, to make the diagnosis of narcolepsy is very difficult. Another cause for the delay is the method for diagnosing narcolepsy, which mainly rely on sleep examination instruments and the testing of hypocretin concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid. However, these tests are difficult to carry out in many areas, and diagnosing narcolepsy is still difficult in many countries. To the patients and their families, developing a fast and accurate method or tool for diagnosing narcolepsy is of the utmost importance.

Read the detailed description

The purposes of this study are as follows: (1) To collect comprehensive narcolepsy and non-narcolepsy brain imaging data. The difference between the two groups will be analyzed. To find the difference between the Type 1 and Type 2 narcolepsy by brain imaging characteristics. Use these data to find the special parameter by "machine learning" and build a predictive model; (2)To collect comprehensive narcolepsy and non-narcolepsy HLA typing data. Attempt to understand the HLA profile of narcoleptic patients and their parents in Taiwan. To analyze the difference between the two groups of Type 1 and Type 2 narcolepsy. Use these data of HLA typing characteristics to find the special parameter by "machine learning" and to establish a predictive model; and (3) categorize and group narcolepsy clinical data, sleep examination data, and the aforementioned data based on machine learning concept and build a predictive model as the basis for developing a fast and accurate" narcolepsy diagnostic tool or model" in the future. Research method: This is a case control study. There are 400 subjects (age 9 - 45) will be collected. These subjects will be divided into the three following groups: (1) experimental group (narcolepsy Type 1, 200 subjects); (2) experimental group (narcolepsy Type 2, 100 subjects); and (3) control group (age and gender matched non-narcolepsy subjects, 100). The investigators will collect all the clinical data for each subject, including clinical characteristics, sleep examination data, actigraphy, HLA typing, and brain imaging data. Data analysis method: the narcolepsy clinical data, sleep examination data, and the aforementioned data were categorized and grouped through data analysis based on computer machine learning, neural network, and predictive model effectiveness analysis concepts. Then the investigators will built a predictive model based on the results.

02

Conditions studied

  • Narcolepsy

Keywords

  • hypersomnia
  • narcolepsy
  • depression
  • transcranial magnetic stimulation
  • neurocognitive function
  • quality of life
03

In context

Narcolepsy

157 studies on the registry are indexed under Narcolepsy; 37 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 105 is above the median of 78 across 114 interventional studies indexed under Narcolepsy.

Browse Narcolepsy studies →

Lead sponsor

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital is the lead sponsor of 1,096 studies on the registry; 239 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 60 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Meet the diagnosis of Type 1 or Type 2 sleep disorder, and comorbid with depression.
  2. The age is introduced between 18-60 years old, regardless of gender.
  3. Those who agree to participate in the trial and sign the subject's consent form.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Combined with epilepsy, brain injury or severe organic brain disease or serious heart disease.
  2. Combined with serious other mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder, mental retardation or addiction disorders.
  3. Not willing to participate in this study or not willing to fill out the consent form.
  4. Those who are not suitable to enter the experiment after being evaluated by PI and co PI.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Investigator)
Enrollment
105 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Narcolepsy (type1 +type 2) with depression

    Stimulate with Double 70mm Alpha Coil figure of 8 stimulator (8-shaped stimulator) (Magstim Company, UK, high frequency magnetic stimulator with force power booster), each treatment will give subjects 1800 pulses, including 60 TBS Section stimulation, each section has 2 seconds of stimulation (30 pulses) and 8 seconds of interval, a total stimulation time of 10 minutes.

    Device: "MAGSTIM" reprtitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator (rTMS) System

  • Sham comparator
    Narcolepsy with depression

    Sham-control

    Device: sham control

Interventions

  • Device"MAGSTIM" reprtitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator (rTMS) System

    iTBS is a new treatment method for depression. It uses the principle of magnetoelectricity to intermittently stimulate local brain nerves. In recent years, domestic and foreign studies have confirmed its efficacy and safety for depression. In addition, research has also It shows that iTBS has better therapeutic effect and efficiency than the previous regular rTMS.

  • Devicesham control

    sham control

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Beck Depression Inventory

    he Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is a 21-item, self-report rating inventory that measures characteristic attitudes and symptoms of depression. Below 10 points are non-depressed, 10-18 are mild depression, 19-29 are moderate depression, 30-63 are severe depression.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  2. The Beck Anxiety Inventory

    a 21-question method developed by Aaron T. Beck. A multiple-choice self-administered scale designed to measure levels of clinical anxiety that can be used to measure anxiety severity. Takes 5 to 10 minutes to complete. Each answer is scored on a scale of 0 (not at all) to 3 (serious). A higher total score indicates more severe anxiety symptoms. Normalized cut-off values are: 0-7: minimal; 8-15: mild; 16-25: Moderate.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Polysomnography -SE

    Change in sleep efficiency (SE, %)based on PSG during the study.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  2. Polysomnography -TST

    Change in total sleep time (TST, mins) based on PSG during the study.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  3. Polysomnography -WASO

    Change in slow wave sleep (SWS, %) based on PSG during the study.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  4. Polysomnography -REM

    Change in REM sleep (%) based on PSG during the study.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  5. Polysomnography -SL

    Change in sleep latency (SL, mins) based on PSG during the study.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  6. Polysomnography -SWS

    Change in slow wave sleep (SWS, %) based on PSG during the study.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  7. Multiple sleep latency test

    Change in Change in sleep latency (SL, mins) based on MSLT during the study.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  8. Conners' Continuous Performance Test

    The Conners Continuous Performance Test is a computer administered test that is designed to assess problems with attention.Many statistics are computed including omission errors , commission errors, hit reaction time, hit reaction time standard error, detectability, response style, perseverations , hit reaction time by block, standard error by block, reaction time by ISI , and standard error by ISI. These statistics are converted to T-scores and can be interpreted in terms of various aspects of attention including inattention, impulsivity, and vigilance.Higher rates of correct detections indicate better attentional capacity.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  9. Wisconsin Card Sorting Test

    The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is a neuropsychological test that is frequently used to measure such higher-level cognitive processes as attention, perseverance,working memory, abstract thinking and set shifting.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  10. Epworth Sleepoiness Scale

    Epworth Sleepoiness Scale (ESS) assesses the responder's propensity to doze or fall asleep during 8 common daily activities, such as: sitting and reading; sitting inactive in a public place; sitting and talking to someone; sitting quietly after a lunch without alcohol; or in a car, while stopped for a few minutes in traffic. An ESS score \>10 suggests excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS); ESS score ≥16 suggests a high level of EDS.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  11. Short Form-36

    36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) includes 11 major questions that evaluate eight components (0-100), with higher scores indicating better outcome.These components include physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health, role limitations due to emotional problems, energy/fatigue, emotional wellbeing, social functioning, pain, and general health.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  12. PET/MRI

    To explore the improvement and difference of narcolepsy and depression symptoms in patients with narcolepsy comorbid depression after rTMS treatment, and to explore the pathological and physiological mechanisms.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  13. Actigraphy-WASO

    Wake after sleep onset (WASO) based on actigraphy during the study.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  14. Actigraphy-SE

    Sleep efficiency (SE, %) based on actigraphy during the study.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  15. Actigraphy-TST

    Total sleep time (TST, mins) based on actigraphy during the study.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  16. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index

    Nine main questions assess eight sleep components. Assessments included subjective sleep quality, time to sleep, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleeping pills, daytime dysfunction, and global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality. Each indicator is scored between 0 and 3. The final composite score is made up of seven combined scores, with a total score ranging from 0 to 21, with lower scores representing healthier sleep quality.

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

  17. Visual Analogue Scale

    Assess the changes in each follow-up of daytime sleepiness and cataplexy symptoms, and the higher the score, the more severe the daytime sleepiness or cataplexy. no (0-4 mm), mild (5-44 mm), moderate (45-74 mm), and severe (75-100 mm)

    Time frame: Screening and following up to six months.

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

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  • Buskova J, Kemlink D, Ibarburu V, Nevsimalova S, Sonka K. Antidepressants substantially affect basic REM sleep characteristics in narcolepsy-cataplexy patients. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2015;36(5):430-3. PubMed 26707042 ↗
  • Blouin AM, Thannickal TC, Worley PF, Baraban JM, Reti IM, Siegel JM. Narp immunostaining of human hypocretin (orexin) neurons: loss in narcolepsy. Neurology. 2005 Oct 25;65(8):1189-92. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000175219.01544.c8. Epub 2005 Aug 31. PubMed 16135770 ↗
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  • Huang YS, Liu FY, Lin CY, Hsiao IT, Guilleminault C. Brain imaging and cognition in young narcoleptic patients. Sleep Med. 2016 Aug;24:137-144. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2015.11.023. Epub 2016 Jan 19. PubMed 27663355 ↗
  • Huang YS, Hsiao IT, Liu FY, Hwang FM, Lin KL, Huang WC, Guilleminault C. Neurocognition, sleep, and PET findings in type 2 vs type 1 narcolepsy. Neurology. 2018 Apr 24;90(17):e1478-e1487. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000005346. Epub 2018 Mar 30. PubMed 29602910 ↗
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  • Lee SA, Kim MK. Effect of Low Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Depression and Cognition of Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Med Sci Monit. 2018 Dec 4;24:8789-8794. doi: 10.12659/MSM.911385. PubMed 30513530 ↗
  • Li CT, Cheng CM, Chen MH, Juan CH, Tu PC, Bai YM, Jeng JS, Lin WC, Tsai SJ, Su TP. Antidepressant Efficacy of Prolonged Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation Monotherapy for Recurrent Depression and Comparison of Methods for Coil Positioning: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Study. Biol Psychiatry. 2020 Mar 1;87(5):443-450. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.07.031. Epub 2019 Aug 9. PubMed 31563272 ↗
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  • Ohayon MM. Narcolepsy is complicated by high medical and psychiatric comorbidities: a comparison with the general population. Sleep Med. 2013 Jun;14(6):488-92. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2013.03.002. Epub 2013 May 3. PubMed 23643648 ↗
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  • Sonmez AI, Kucuker MU, Lewis CP, Kolla BP, Doruk Camsari D, Vande Voort JL, Schak KM, Kung S, Croarkin PE. Improvement in hypersomnia with high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in depressed adolescents: Preliminary evidence from an open-label study. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2020 Mar 8;97:109763. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109763. Epub 2019 Oct 18. PubMed 31634515 ↗
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  • Vijayakumari AA, Khan FR, Varma RP, Radhakrishnan A. Can transcranial magnetic stimulation be used to evaluate patients with narcolepsy? Neurol Sci. 2013 Aug;34(8):1411-20. doi: 10.1007/s10072-012-1253-0. Epub 2012 Nov 29. PubMed 23192441 ↗
  • Wang W, Chair SY, Thompson DR, Twinn SF. A psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in patients with coronary heart disease. J Clin Nurs. 2009 Jul;18(13):1908-15. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2008.02736.x. PubMed 19638050 ↗
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Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 1, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05884112
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jun 1, 2023
Start date
Feb 22, 2023
Primary completion
Jun 2025 (estimated)
Completion
Jun 2025 (estimated)
Last update
Jun 1, 2023

Study contacts

Yu-shu Huang
Contact
yushuhuang1212@gmail.com
+886 3 3281200 ext. 8539
Yu-Shu Huang, PhD
study director · Principal Investigator

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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