Who is eligible for clinical trial NCT07196462?

Participants must meet protocol criteria for Cannabis Use. Confirm exact inclusion and exclusion requirements with the study coordinator.

Does clinical trial NCT07196462 provide travel or cost reimbursement?

Check with the site coordinator at the participating facility for travel and lodging stipend availability, and for which routine-care costs are covered.

🏛️ Verified NIH Record • Updated 2026-05-28

Precision Brain Stimulation to Reduce Cannabis Craving in Schizophrenia (NCT07196462)

🟢 Recruiting Observational / Diagnostic ⚙️ Medical Device Protocol Sponsor: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)

The central hypothesis is this: Brain circuits most relevant to cannabis use in schizophrenia are distinct from pathways identified in healthy controls who use cannabis. This study seeks to provide evidence that targeted stimulation of the DMN leads to both altered network activity and a concomitant behavioral change in cue-induced craving and cognitive performance in individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, while targeted stimulation of the L DLPFC leads to these changes in healthy controls who use cannabis. This study will test a model that integrates brain network pathophysiology and cognition to 1) explain the prevalence of cannabis use in schizophrenia and 2) identify a target for engagement in schizophrenia. This study seeks to establish a neuroscientific framework to guide future treatment-oriented studies aimed at reducing craving and improving cognitive performance in individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. This is a study of the effect of 2 rTMS interventions on functional connectivity and craving in individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and healthy controls who use cannabis. Aim 1: Target Engagement: Determine if rTMS manipulates functional connectivity of each target (DMN, L DLPFC) (n=100). Aim 2: Clinical Efficacy: Determine if rTMS affects cue-induced craving and if craving change correlates with change in functional connectivity (n=100). As an exploratory analysis, the factors that explain individual variance in rTMS-induced connectivity change will also be explored.

Who can join: To join this study, participants generally need to meet the listed inclusion criteria (8 items) and avoid the listed exclusions (16 items).

Location: Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital — Nashville, Tennessee

📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener

Instant Checklist

Check every box below. If you can check all of them, you may meet the study's basic screening requirements (final eligibility is confirmed by the site team).

for Psychosis Participants:
Age between 18-65 years
Diagnosis of a psychotic disorder according to DSM-5 criteria and confirmed by SCID
Current cannabis use of at least 2/10 on a Visual Analog Scale
Current cannabis use (confirmed by urine cannabis testing)
Must be able to read, speak and understand English
Must be judged by study staff to be capable of completing the study procedures
Participants will be in stable outpatient psychiatric treatment and psychiatrically stable with no recent (within the past 30 days) psychiatric hospitalizations or changes in their psychiatric medication regimens. Inclusion Criteria for Healthy Controls: \- All of the above except for participants will not have a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder nor a first-degree relative with a psychotic disorder.

Usually NOT eligible if any of the following apply:

Exclusion Criteria for ALL participants:
DSM-5 intellectual disability
Substance use disorder (other than cannabis or nicotine) within the past three months
Positive urine drug screen for illicit substance use that can increase seizure risk (cocaine, benzodiazepines, amphetamine, methamphetamine)
Any history of a progressive or genetic neurologic disorder (e.g. Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, tuberous sclerosis, Alzheimer's Disease) or acquired neurological disease (e.g. stroke, traumatic brain injury, tumor), including intracranial lesions
History of head trauma resulting in any loss of consciousness (\>15 minutes) or neurological sequelae
Current history of poorly controlled headaches including chronic medication for migraine prevention
History of fainting spells of unknown or undetermined etiology that might constitute seizures
History of seizures, diagnosis of epilepsy, or immediate (1st degree relative) family history epilepsy with the exception of a single seizure of benign etiology (e.g. febrile seizures) in the judgment of a board-certified neurologist
Chronic (particularly) uncontrolled medical conditions that may cause a medical emergency in case of a provoked seizure (cardiac malformation, cardiac dysrhythmia, asthma, etc.)
Any metal in the brain or skull (excluding dental fillings) or elsewhere in the body unless cleared by the responsible covering MD (e.g. MRI compatible joint replacement)
Any devices such as pacemaker, medication pump, nerve stimulator, TENS unit, ventriculo-peritoneal shunt unless cleared by the responsible covering MD

🔍 Extracted verbatim from the official NIH eligibility criteria. Always confirm with the study coordinator.

📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)

Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital — Nashville, Tennessee

💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights

100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.

🏛️ View Official NIH Record ↗