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Magnetic Brain Stimulation in Small Fiber Neuropathy

NCT07805057 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 124

Last updated 2026-09-04

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Small fiber neuropathy (SFN) is a condition in which the smallest nerve fibers are damaged. This leads to severe pain and disturbances in the body's automatic functions. As a result, quality of life is often substantially reduced.

Pain is one of the main symptoms of small fiber neuropathy. Unfortunately, the effects of currently available pain medications are often disappointing and may be accompanied by unacceptable side effects. Although the smallest nerve fibers do not function properly in SFN, the brain also appears to play a role in the symptoms. Specialized brain imaging studies have shown that brain activity and certain neural connections differ between patients with SFN and healthy individuals. Therefore, the brain may also represent a suitable target for treatment.

In several chronic pain conditions, it has been demonstrated that stimulation of specific brain regions using magnetic pulses delivered through a specialized coil can reduce pain. This treatment can be administered using repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), a safe and non-invasive technique that is already available in the Netherlands for people with severe depression. The effectiveness of rTMS has never been investigated in patients with small fiber neuropathy. In addition, the pain-relieving effects of treatment are often temporary. Maintenance treatment may offer a potential solution to this problem.

Conditions

  • Small Fiber Neuropathy

Interventions

DEVICE

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is arguably the most versatile noninvasive neuromodulation technique. TMS is the transcranial delivery of magnetic pulses to a brain region, inducing electric current that can depolarize neurons and induce action potentials. When multiple electromagnetic pulses are applied repetitively (rTMS) to the brain, longer lasting neuroplastic changes can be induced

DEVICE

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Sham

A placebo version of the active repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. The coil mimics sound and sensation of a real treatment without active stimulation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Princess Beatrix Muscle Foundation

    collaborator OTHER

  • Maastricht University Medical Center

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Janneke G.J. Hoeijmakers, MD, PhD · Maastricht University Medical Centre +

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-09-30
Primary Completion
2028-09-30
Completion
2028-09-30

Countries

  • Netherlands

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07805057 on ClinicalTrials.gov