Abstract:
Background: Transcranial magnetic stimulation one of the tools that may help schizophrenic patients.
Aims: To Examine the validation of rTMS in treatment positive and negative symptoms of refractory schizophrenic patients.
Setting: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo.
Patients and methods: The study inclusive 40 resistance schizophrenic patients separated into two groups: Group A: 20 patients received 15 sessions of r-TMS for 3 weeks, With five daily sessions with a two day break, Group B: 20 patients were randomly (one every one patients) chosen for sham stimulation. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale was used to examine all patients before and after the intervention.
Results: The mean age of all studied patients was 30.4 ± 5.5 years. 22 were males (55%) and 18 females (45%). The mean BMI of all studied patients was 28.7 ± 3.01 (kg/m²). The mean duration of disease was 11.45 ± 6.3 months. The mean age of onset was 18.9 ± 2.4 years. There were 9 patients (22.5%) with positive family history. Active rTMS was accompanied by significant improvement in total PANSS degree, PANSS positive degree, PANSS negative degree and general psychopathology degree. The sham (placebo group) did not show any significant changes in schizophrenic symptoms (negative nor positive).
Conclusion: Dual mode distribution rTMS stimulation of left DLPFC and left TPC could significantly improve schizophrenic patients with positive and negative symptoms.