Auditory hallucinations in schizophrenic patients can cause significant distress, functional disability and behavioral dyscontrol. These hallucinations generally consist of spoken speech. Some studies suggest that these experiences arise from activaton of speech perception areas of the cerebral cortex. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at low frequencies has been shown to reduce cortical activation. The PI is conducting the study to determine if rTMS delivered to a brain region underlying speech perception could curtail these experiences. Duration of rTMS is initiated at four minutes and built up to 16 minutes duration over four days. Thus far, eleven patients have completed the protocol. Our plan is to include 1-3 additional patients in this phase of protocol and then undertake a more extended study assessing whether rTMS produces clinically significant improvements in hallucinations and other symptons in schizophrenic patients. Forty patients reporting auditory hallucinations with incomplete response to pharmacological treatment will be enrolled in this phase of the study based on a state-wide and national recruitment. This study will lead to new insights into the pathophysiology and treatment of persistent auditory hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia.
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