Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as an augmentation treatment for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia: a 4-week randomized placebo controlled study.
BACKGROUND
In the absence of effective treatments for the negative symptom complex of schizophrenia, we explored the effect of 4 consecutive weeks of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) exposure (20 sessions) as an add-on treatment to atypical antipsychotics.


METHODS
Three groups of 17 schizophrenic subjects each were exposed to 20 treatments of either placebo, 1 Hz (100 pulses per day=2000 total) or 10 Hz (1000 pulses per day=20,000 total) rTMS at 110% motor threshold over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, while being maintained on their atypical antipsychotic. Subjects were evaluated at baseline, weeks 2 and 4, and at 4-week follow-up after the last treatment.


RESULTS
The primary outcome measure (change in Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms score) showed a statistically significant drop at weeks 2, 4, and 8 for the high frequency (10 Hz) group, but not the 1 Hz or placebo groups. Secondary outcome measures of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and SF-36 did not demonstrate any significant change.


CONCLUSIONS
rTMS may serve as a relatively noninvasive treatment of the negative and neurocognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia.
Schneider
Alan L
AL
Gateways Hospital and Mental Health Center, University of California-Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA. alsmd@roadrunner.com
Schneider
Terry L
TL
Stark
Harry
H
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010919:Placebos; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010919:Placebos