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High-frequency prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia: a case series.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Stanford, AD; Corcoran, C; Bulow, P; Bellovin-Weiss, S; Malaspina, D; Lisanby, SH
Published in: J ECT
March 2011

OBJECTIVES: The negative symptoms of schizophrenia are difficult to treat and are predictors of poor outcome. New somatic treatments are needed to reverse these symptoms and improve function. One promising approach is repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), although results to date have been mixed. This pilot study assessed higher doses of rTMS and assessed particular demographic factors that may influence treatment response. METHODS: Five patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder enrolled to receive 20 sessions of rTMS administered with a Magstim Super Rapid device (The Magstim Company Ltd, Wales, UK). Treatment was administered at 20 Hz for 2 seconds, intertrain interval of 28 seconds, and at 100% motor threshold to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in an open-label pilot study. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale symptom assessments occurred at 2-week intervals during treatment and twice at 4-week intervals after termination. RESULTS: Treatments were well tolerated with no adverse events. One patient withdrew from the study in the setting of medication noncompliance. Of the patients who completed treatment, 2 had reductions in positive symptoms by 9% and 26%, maintained at 1 month. A third patient had a 14% reduction in negative symptoms at week 4, and a fourth patient had a 55% reduction at week 4. Negative symptom improvement was not related to depressive or extrapyramidal symptoms, which were unchanged with treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study of rTMS treatment for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia is promising with respect to safety and feasibility. The promising preliminary evidence for improvements in this open-label setting should be followed up with a randomized clinical trial to establish efficacy. Further work may explore the potential utility of rTMS for the otherwise largely untreatable negative symptoms, which account for so much of the morbidity of schizophrenia.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J ECT

DOI

EISSN

1533-4112

Publication Date

March 2011

Volume

27

Issue

1

Start / End Page

11 / 17

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
  • Schizophrenia
  • Psychiatry
  • Pilot Projects
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Adult
  • 5203 Clinical and health psychology
  • 3209 Neurosciences
 

Citation

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ICMJE
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Stanford, A. D., Corcoran, C., Bulow, P., Bellovin-Weiss, S., Malaspina, D., & Lisanby, S. H. (2011). High-frequency prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia: a case series. J ECT, 27(1), 11–17. https://doi.org/10.1097/YCT.0b013e3181f41ea3
Stanford, Arielle D., Cheryl Corcoran, Peter Bulow, Sarah Bellovin-Weiss, Dolores Malaspina, and Sarah H. Lisanby. “High-frequency prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia: a case series.J ECT 27, no. 1 (March 2011): 11–17. https://doi.org/10.1097/YCT.0b013e3181f41ea3.
Stanford AD, Corcoran C, Bulow P, Bellovin-Weiss S, Malaspina D, Lisanby SH. High-frequency prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia: a case series. J ECT. 2011 Mar;27(1):11–7.
Stanford, Arielle D., et al. “High-frequency prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia: a case series.J ECT, vol. 27, no. 1, Mar. 2011, pp. 11–17. Pubmed, doi:10.1097/YCT.0b013e3181f41ea3.
Stanford AD, Corcoran C, Bulow P, Bellovin-Weiss S, Malaspina D, Lisanby SH. High-frequency prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia: a case series. J ECT. 2011 Mar;27(1):11–17.

Published In

J ECT

DOI

EISSN

1533-4112

Publication Date

March 2011

Volume

27

Issue

1

Start / End Page

11 / 17

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
  • Schizophrenia
  • Psychiatry
  • Pilot Projects
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Adult
  • 5203 Clinical and health psychology
  • 3209 Neurosciences