Using Neurostimulation to Accelerate Change in Misophonia: a Pilot Study

Description

Misophonia, the inability to tolerate certain repetitive distressing sounds that are common, is gaining, recognition as an impairing condition. It is not a well-understood condition and there are no known treatments. The purpose of this study is to test a new misophonia intervention that uses emotion regulation strategies and different types of brain stimulation on misophonic distress. This study will examine changes in brain activity during presentation and regulation of misophonic versus distressing sounds. The study team plans to alter activity in a key area of the brain responsible for emotion regulation circuitry over 4 sessions with the goal to test if this intervention helps misophonic distress. Sixty adult participants with moderate to severe misophonia will be recruited and taught an emotion regulation skill and randomly assigned to receive one of two types of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). The study includes 9-10 visits: the remote screening visit(s), the initial MRI, the four neurostimulation sessions, the follow-up MRI, and two additional remote 1- and 3-month follow-up visits.

Conditions

Misophonia, Emotion Dysregulation, Sensory Processing Disorder, Auditory Over Responsivity, Anxiety Disorder, Sound Sensitivity

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

Misophonia, the inability to tolerate certain repetitive distressing sounds that are common, is gaining, recognition as an impairing condition. It is not a well-understood condition and there are no known treatments. The purpose of this study is to test a new misophonia intervention that uses emotion regulation strategies and different types of brain stimulation on misophonic distress. This study will examine changes in brain activity during presentation and regulation of misophonic versus distressing sounds. The study team plans to alter activity in a key area of the brain responsible for emotion regulation circuitry over 4 sessions with the goal to test if this intervention helps misophonic distress. Sixty adult participants with moderate to severe misophonia will be recruited and taught an emotion regulation skill and randomly assigned to receive one of two types of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). The study includes 9-10 visits: the remote screening visit(s), the initial MRI, the four neurostimulation sessions, the follow-up MRI, and two additional remote 1- and 3-month follow-up visits.

Using Neurostimulation to Accelerate Change in Misophonia: a Pilot Study

Using Neurostimulation to Accelerate Change in Misophonia: a Pilot Study

Condition
Misophonia
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Durham

Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27710

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * 18-55
  • * verbal agreement to maintain dose of prescribed psychotropic medication (if any) and/or psychotherapy (if any) constant throughout the study, provided they are stable on it for the past 4 weeks (except exclusion medication and except if there is a medical emergency requiring changes in medication).
  • * DMQ Impairment score \>= 14
  • * current or past history of mania or psychosis; current hypomania
  • * verbal IQ\< 90 as per the NART
  • * not medically cleared for TMS or fMRI (such as taking medications known to reduce the seizure threshold such as Lithium, Clozaril, stimulants including the ADHD medications (e.g. Ritalin, Adderall), Wellbutrin/Buproprion, Provigil (Modafinil), Aminophylline, and Theophylline)
  • * DMQ Impairment score \< 14
  • * younger than 18 and older than 55
  • * pregnant
  • * high risk for suicide (defined as having attempted suicide in past 6 months; suicide attempt within the past 10 years with current ideation with plan or preferred method available)
  • * moderate/severe current alcohol or substance use disorder, or past severe alcohol use disorder
  • * unable to read, blind, or deaf, or unwilling to give consent
  • * cannot come to Duke for the in-person study visits
  • * current uncontrolled anorexia or other condition requiring hospitalization
  • * conditions associated with increased intracranial pressure, space occupying brain lesion, transient ischemic attack, cerebral aneurysm, dementia, Parkinson's or Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis
  • * use of investigational drug or devices within 4 weeks of screening
  • * started/changed psychotropic medications or started psychotherapy in the prior 4 weeks, or plans to change medication or stop psychotherapy during the study

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to 55 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Duke University,

Andrada D Neacsiu, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Duke University

Study Record Dates

2026-11-30