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. 2014 Dec;12(3):222-8.
doi: 10.9758/cpn.2014.12.3.222. Epub 2014 Dec 26.

Bilateral Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Auditory Hallucinations in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled, Cross-over Study

Eun-Ji Kim  1 , Seonguk Yeo  1 , Inho Hwang  1 , Jong-Il Park  1 , Yin Cui  2 , Hong-Mei Jin  2 , Hyung Tae Kim  3 , Tae-Young Hwang  3 , Young-Chul Chung  4
Affiliations

Bilateral Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Auditory Hallucinations in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled, Cross-over Study

Eun-Ji Kim et al. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2014 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: A randomized double-blind cross-over trial was conducted in patients with persistent auditory hallucinations (AHs) to investigate whether bilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at the temporoparietal area or Broca's area is more effective at high- or low-frequencies compared to a sham condition.

Methods: Twenty three patients with persistent AHs who remained stable on the same medication for 2 months were enrolled. They were randomized to one of four conditions: low-frequency (1 Hz)-rTMS to the temporoparietal area (L-TP), high-frequency (20 Hz)-rTMS to the temporoparietal area (H-TP), high-frequency (20 Hz)-rTMS to Broca's area (H-B), or sham.

Results: All the four rTMS conditions resulted in significant decrease in the scores under the auditory hallucination rating scale and hallucination change scale over time. However, there were no significant treatment effects or interaction between time and treatment, suggesting no superior effects of the new paradigms over the sham condition.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that bilateral rTMS at the temporoparietal area or Broca's area with high- or low-frequency does not produce superior effects in reducing AHs compared to sham stimulation.

Keywords: Auditory hallucinations; Broca area; Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The change of auditory hallucination rating scale (AHRS) scores (A) and hallucination change scale (HCS) scores (B) in the four repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) modules. L-TP, low-frequency temporoparietal area stimulation module; H-TP, high-frequency temporoparietal area stimulation module; H-B, high-frequency Broca's area stimulation module; Sham, sham control module.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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