To the Editor: A recent meta-analysis (1) concluded that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) efficiently reduces resistant auditory hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia (effect size=0.76). Nevertheless, treatment is presently only provided over short periods of time, and little is known about longer-term impact. Maintenance treatment protocols have been developed, and we previously described a case report involving a maintenance protocol with a weekly, once-a-day stimulation (2) ; however, we failed to demonstrate long-term benefits. To our knowledge, the case presented below is the first report of a twice-daily transcranial magnetic stimulation as efficacious for auditory hallucinations, both in acute and maintenance treatment.
Our case raises the question as to whether twice-daily transcranial magnetic stimulation may be useful in some patients as a possible maintenance intervention. Certainly, further research will help us to understand whether the benefits observed in this single case might also be evident in larger studies.
Footnotes
The authors report no competing interests.
This letter (doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07060868) was accepted for publication in October 2007.
References
1.
Aleman A, Sommer IE, Kahn RS: Efficacy of slow repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of resistant auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia: a meta-analysis. J Clin Psychiatry 2007; 68:416–421
Poulet E, Brunelin J, Kallel L, Bediou B, Dalery J, D’amato T, Saoud M: Is rTMS efficient as a maintenance treatment for auditory verbal hallucinations? a case report. Schizophr Res 2006; 84:183–184
Hoffman RE, Hawkins KA, Gueorguieva R, Boutros NN, Rachid F, Carroll K, Krystal JH: Transcranial magnetic stimulation of left temporoparietal cortex and medication-resistant auditory hallucinations. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2003; 60:49–56
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