Brain Stimulation to Improve Self-Awareness in Schizophrenia

This research is testing a procedure called navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (nrTMS) to see if it can help people with schizophrenia who struggle with a specific problem: difficulty recognizing whether their thoughts and actions are their own. The study uses advanced brain imaging to understand how the brain works in schizophrenia and whether this non-invasive brain stimulation treatment can improve self-awareness and control. Participants will receive the treatment over several sessions while researchers track changes in their brain activity and symptoms.

People with schizophrenia often experience confusion about whether their thoughts belong to them or are coming from outside sources—a symptom called self-agency deficit that can be very distressing. Current treatments focus mainly on other symptoms, so researchers want to understand the brain basis of this specific problem and whether targeted brain stimulation can help restore this sense of ownership and control.