In this study, we assessed the therapeutic effects and safety of left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on negative symptoms of schizophrenia. We evaluated the efficacy of rTMS on cognition in patients with chronic schizophrenia.
This is a randomized, sham-controlled, double-blinded trial. 47 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia on stable antipsychotic treatment were randomly assigned to active rTMS treatment group (n=25) or a sham rTMS treatment group (n=22). 25 patients in the active rTMS group received 10 Hz 110% rTMS, while 22 patients were subjected to sham rTMS, both being given 4-week treatment (5 days per week). Efficacy of negative symptom was assessed with the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), the Positive and Negative symptom scale (PANSS) at baseline, the end of 4 weeks and 8 weeks. The cognitive function was assessed with CANTAB at baseline, the end of 4 weeks and 8 weeks .The side effects were assessed with Treatment Emergent Symptoms Scale at baseline and the end of 4 weeks.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
47
Prior to each TMS administration, motor threshold was determined by stimulating the left motor strip with the lowest possible energy to produce, within 10 stimuli, at least 5 evoked potentials Z0.05 . In active rTMS, 10 Hz stimulations over left DLPFC occurred at a power of 110% of motor threshold (MT) for 5-s intervals with 30-s intertrain interval. 30 trains were administered each day (MondayFriday) for 4 consecutive weeks (total stimuli=30,000).
Sham rTMS, without stimulation
Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS)
clinical negative symptoms
Time frame: 4 weeks
Positive and Negative symptom scale (PANSS)
Clinical symptoms
Time frame: 4 weeks
CANTAB
cognition
Time frame: 4 weeks
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