The effect of rTMS on auditory hallucinations: Clues from an EEG-rTMS study

van Lutterveld, Remko; Koops, Sanne; Schutter, Dennis J.L.G.; Geertsema, Ellen; Stam, Cornelis J.; Kahn, René S.; Sommer, Iris E.C.

doi:10.1016/j.schres.2012.01.010

« Previous Next »Schizophrenia Research
Volume 137, Issue 1 , Pages 174-179, May 2012

The effect of rTMS on auditory hallucinations: Clues from an EEG-rTMS study

Remko van Lutterveld
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands and Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Corresponding author at: University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Psychiatry; B01.206, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht; The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 887550880; fax: +31 887555509.
Sanne Koops
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Dennis J.L.G. Schutter
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands and Helmholtz Research Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Ellen Geertsema
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Cornelis J. Stam
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
René S. Kahn
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands and Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Iris E.C. Sommer
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands and Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Received 21 September 2011; received in revised form 21 December 2011; accepted 12 January 2012. published online 30 January 2012.

Abstract

Objective

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the temporoparietal region has been proposed as a therapeutic option for auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH). However, most large randomized controlled trials failed to demonstrate a superior effect of rTMS treatment as compared to sham. Previous studies applied daily rTMS sessions for one or more weeks to summate its effects. However, the effect of a single rTMS treatment on AVH-severity has never been studied, making it unclear if there is an initial effect that could be increased by repeated treatment.

Methods

In three separate sessions, twenty-four patients with a psychotic disorder received 1-Hz rTMS to the left temporoparietal cortex, its right-sided homologue or a centro-occipital control site. Severity of AVH was assessed before and after each rTMS session and resting-state EEGs were recorded to investigate the neuronal effects of rTMS.

Results

Stimulation of the temporoparietal cortices was not more effective in reducing AVH-severity than control-site stimulation. In addition, EEG-related power and connectivity measures were not affected differently across stimulation sites and changes in neuronal activity did not correlate with changes in AVH-severity.