First clinical studies indicate an effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS) in the treatment of auditory hallucinations (AH). However, effect size, optimal stimulation site and parameters are unclear. With this randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial we test the efficacy and safety of bilateral continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), a patterned form rTMS, against auditory hallucinations. The treatment will be applied add-on to individual antipsychotic and behavioral therapy. Patients will be treated for 6 weeks each weekday (30 sessions) with 40s of cTBS (halfway between T3/P3 and T4/P4). For weeks 1-3, half of the subjects will be randomized to a sham-stimulation (coil tilted 45°). During weeks 4-6, all subjects receive real cTBS.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
16
bilateral continuous theta burst stimulation (bursts of 3 stimuli, 50Hz every 200ms for 40s, 80% active motor threshold) to the temporoparietal cortex (EEG 10/20: halfway T3/P3 and T4/P4)
bilateral continuous theta burst stimulation (bursts of 3 stimuli, 50Hz every 200ms for 40s, 80% active motor threshold) to the temporoparietal cortex (EEG 10/20: halfway T3/P3 and T4/P4) with the stimulation coil tilted 45°
University of Tübingen, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
Tübingen, Germany
Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS), subscale for auditory hallucinations
Change of PSYRATS AH score compared to baseline after 3 weeks of treatment
Time frame: 3 weeks
Hallucination change score (HCS)
Time frame: 3 and 6 weeks
Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS)
Time frame: 3 and 6 weeks
PSYRATS subscale for auditory hallucinations
Change of PSYRATS AH score compared to baseline after 6 weeks of treatment
Time frame: 6 weeks
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