Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disease. Auditory hallucinations are the most frequent symptoms with an incident of 50% to 70% in patients. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) can significantly reduce symptoms of schizophrenia. TMS is capable of inducing changes in the electrical activities of the brain in humans. The purpose of this trial is to study the use of TMS to decrease auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia.
We hypothesize that: True treatment with rTMS will have significant decrease in auditory hallucinations versus sham treatment over the temporoparietal cortex. FMRI will highlight areas of activation with auditory hallucinations distinct from the area identified by Hoffman's scalp based method. Cortical inhibition as measured by paired pulse TMS will be increased after true TMS but not sham TMS.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
10
True treatment with rTMS over the temporoparietal cortex.
Sham treatment with rTMS over the temporoparietal cortex.
St. Joseph's Healthcare, rTMS Laboratory, 100 West Fifth Street
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
RECRUITINGSt. Joseph's Healthcare, rTMS Laboratory, 100 West Fifth Street
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
RECRUITINGHoffman Auditory Hallucination Scale
A series of 7 questions to identify the intensity and severity of the hallucinations
Time frame: weekly
Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS)
Time frame: 2 weeks
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