Eligibility Details:
Inclusion Criteria:
1. are voluntary and competent to consent to treatment
2. have a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
3. are between the ages of 18 and 75
4. are willing and able to adhere to the treatment schedule
5. Pass the TMS adult safety-screening (TASS) questionnaire
6. have normal thyroid functioning based on pre-study blood work. Patients may be
reassessed for the study once thyroid levels have normalized.
7. are willing and able to cooperate with interviews and follow simple instructions
Exclusion Criteria:
1. do not pass the TASS Safety Screening Questionnaire
2. have a significant history of seizures
3. have active suicidal intent
4. are pregnant or may be pregnant. A pregnancy test will be performed for fertile women.
5. have failed a course of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) in the current or previous
episode
6. have any significant neurological disorder or insult including, but not limited to:
any condition likely to be associated with increased intracranial pressure, space
occupying brain lesion, any history of seizure except those therapeutically induced by
ECT, cerebral aneurysm, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, multiple sclerosis,
or head trauma resulting in loss of consciousness greater than or equal to 5 minutes
7. have an intracranial implant (e.g., aneurysm clips, shunts, stimulators, cochlear
implants, or electrodes) or any other metal object within or near the head, excluding
the mouth, that cannot be safely removed
8. have had changes in dose or initiation of any psychotropic medication in the 4 weeks
prior to screening. Patients may be re-screened once medications have been stable for
4 weeks.
9. currently (or in the last 4 weeks) take more than lorazepam 2 mg daily (or equivalent)
or any dose of an anticonvulsant due to the potential to limit rTMS efficacy