Theta Burst Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Auditory Verbal Hallucinations: Negative Findings From a Double-Blind-Randomized Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) in schizophrenia are resistant to antipsychotic medication in approximately 25% of patients. Treatment with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for refractory AVH has shown varying results. A stimulation protocol using continuous theta burst rTMS (TB-rTMS) showed high efficacy in open label studies. We tested TB-rTMS as a treatment strategy for refractory AVH in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Methods

Seventy-one patients with AVH were randomly allocated to TB-rTMS or placebo treatment. They received 10 TB-rTMS or sham treatments over the left temporoparietal cortex in consecutive days. AVH severity was assessed at baseline, end of treatment and follow-up using the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scale (PSYRA

SUBMITTER: Koops S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4681555 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature