Low and High Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in the Treatment of Resistant Auditory Hallucination in Schizophrenia

Overview

Auditory Hallucinations (AH) are experienced by 50 to 70% of subjects with schizophrenia. Almost a quarter of patients are medication resistant to such symptoms. The application of rTMS at low frequency in the left temporoparietal cortex reduces AH. A pilot study reported successful treatment of AH with high frequency rTMS. rTMS (20Hz) should be a shorter and an easier treatment for out-patients with schizophrenia compared to low stimulation treatment.

90 schizophrenia patients Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision (DSM IV-TR) criteria with persistent Auditory Hallucinations (AH) resistant to antipsychotic treatments will be recruited. A double blind sham-controlled randomized parallel study comparing three groups treated 10 session in 5 days with high frequency (20 Hz), low frequency (1Hz) and sham-controlled condition rTMS. They will be followed 3 month and evaluated using Auditive Hallucination Rating Scale (AHRS), Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms Scores (SAPS), Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms Scores (SANS) and Positive And Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) global score and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score.

Conditions