Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Temporoparietal Cortex in Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia with Treatment-Resistant Auditory Hallucinations / 신경정신의학

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: It has been reported that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), which stimulate the focal region of brain may relieve auditory hallucination in patient with schizophrenia. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of rTMS on left and right temporoparietal cortex in schizophrenic patients with treatment-resistant auditory hallucination. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with chronic schizophrenia with treatment -resistant auditory hallucination were randomly allocated to rTMS group on left and right temporoparietal head regions. The rTMS was applied to TP3/4 region by EEG 10-20 international system at 1 Hz for 20 minutes per day for 10 treatment days. A Figure of eight TMS coil with a solid core was used for rTMS at 100% of individual motor threshold. Efficacy was evaluated with Auditory Hallucination Rating Scale (HRS), Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale on 5 and 10 days of treatment. RESULTS: Ten days administration of 1-Hz rTMS to temporoparietal cortex significant improved frequency (p<0.001) and attentional salience (p=0.038) of auditory hallucination, positive (p<0.001) and negative symptom (p=0.02), and CGI-improvement (p<0.001). There were no significant differences between right and left side stimulations. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the low frequency rTMS on temporoparietal cortex may be useful in treating schizophrenic patients with treatment-resistant auditory hallucination and it could be a useful novel treatment option.