title: Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation add-on for the treatment of auditory hallucinations: a double-blind study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  About 25% of schizophrenia patients with auditory hallucinations are refractory to pharmacotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy. We conducted a deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) pilot study in order to evaluate the potential clinical benefit of repeated left temporoparietal cortex stimulation in these patients. The results were encouraging, but a sham-controlled study was needed to rule out a placebo effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 18 schizophrenic patients with refractory auditory hallucinations were recruited, from Beer Yaakov MHC and other hospitals outpatient populations. Patients received 10 daily treatment sessions with low-frequency (1 Hz for 10 min) deep TMS applied over the left temporoparietal cortex, using the H1 coil at the intensity of 110% of the motor threshold. Procedure was either real or sham according to patient randomization. Patients were evaluated via the Auditory Hallucinations Rating Scale, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms-Negative Symptoms, Clinical Global Impressions, and Quality of Life Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 10 patients completed the treatment (10 TMS sessions). Auditory hallucination scores of both groups improved; however, there was no statistical difference in any of the scales between the active and the sham treated groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-frequency deep TMS to the left temporoparietal cortex using the protocol mentioned above has no statistically significant effect on auditory hallucinations or the other clinical scales measured in schizophrenic patients.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00564096.
authors.affiliation: Beer Ya'acov Mental Health Center, Beer Ya'acov, Israel. odedaruna@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Oded
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gersner
authors.forename: Limor Dinur
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotler
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zangen
authors.forename: Pinhas
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dannon