title: A negative pilot study of daily bimodal transcranial direct current stimulation in schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A small number of studies conducted to date have suggested that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the temporoparietal cortex may reduce auditory hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia. Prefrontal brain stimulation with other methods, has also been shown to potentially improve the negative symptoms of this disorder.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the therapeutic potential of daily bimodal tDCS: anodal stimulation to the prefrontal cortex and cathodal stimulation to the temporoparietal junction in patients with persistent hallucinations and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted two small randomized double-blind controlled trials comparing bimodal tDCS to sham stimulation. In one study, stimulation was provided unilaterally, in the second study it was provided bilaterally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neither unilateral nor bilateral tDCS resulted in a substantial change in either hallucinations or negative symptoms. Stimulation was well tolerated without side-effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Daily tDCS does not appear to have substantial potential in the treatment of hallucinations or negative symptoms and further research should investigate higher doses of stimulation or more frequently applied treatment schedules.
authors.affiliation: Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Monash University Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia. Electronic address: paul.fitzgerald@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.affiliation: Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Monash University Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McQueen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Clarke Division, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Zafiris J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Daskalakis
authors.affiliation: Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Monash University Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.
authors.forename: Kate E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Hoy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects*
keywords: Auditory hallucinations; Negative symptoms; Prefrontal cortex; Repetitive transcranial direct current stimulation; Schizophrenia