title: The effect of rTMS on auditory hallucinations: clues from an EEG-rTMS study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the temporoparietal region has been proposed as a therapeutic option for auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH). However, most large randomized controlled trials failed to demonstrate a superior effect of rTMS treatment as compared to sham. Previous studies applied daily rTMS sessions for one or more weeks to summate its effects. However, the effect of a single rTMS treatment on AVH-severity has never been studied, making it unclear if there is an initial effect that could be increased by repeated treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In three separate sessions, twenty-four patients with a psychotic disorder received 1-Hz rTMS to the left temporoparietal cortex, its right-sided homologue or a centro-occipital control site. Severity of AVH was assessed before and after each rTMS session and resting-state EEGs were recorded to investigate the neuronal effects of rTMS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stimulation of the temporoparietal cortices was not more effective in reducing AVH-severity than control-site stimulation. In addition, EEG-related power and connectivity measures were not affected differently across stimulation sites and changes in neuronal activity did not correlate with changes in AVH-severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results may suggest a placebo effect of a single session of 1-Hz rTMS treatment on AVH-severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands. R.vanlutterveld@umcutrecht.nl
authors.forename: Remko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Lutterveld
authors.forename: Sanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koops
authors.forename: Dennis J L G
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schutter
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Geertsema
authors.forename: Cornelis J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Stam
authors.forename: René S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: Iris E C
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Sommer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000502:physiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult