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Updated: Aug 11, 2026
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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Investigating Causal Brain-behavioral Relationships and their Time Course
Published on: July 18, 2014
Treating auditory hallucinations by transcranial magnetic stimulation: a randomized controlled cross-over trial
Martin Jandl1, Juergen Steyer, Martin Weber
1Department of Psychiatry I, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. martin.jandl@uni-ulm.de
Neuropsychobiology
|March 3, 2006
Summary
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the left temporo-parietal cortex shows promise for treating auditory hallucinations (AH) in a subgroup of patients. Some patients experienced rapid symptom reduction with left-sided rTMS.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Previous fMRI studies identified Heschl's gyrus activation during auditory hallucinations (AH).
- Auditory hallucinations are a complex symptom often associated with psychiatric disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as a targeted treatment for auditory hallucinations (AH).
Main Methods:
- A randomized, cross-over, sham-controlled trial involving 16 patients with AH.
- Administered 1 Hz rTMS over the left and right temporo-parietal cortex and sham positions for 5 days.
- Assessed hallucination severity using the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS) and recorded electroencephalograms (EEG).
Main Results:
- A subgroup of 5 patients showed significant improvement in AH scores after left hemisphere rTMS, with responses noted within 2 days.
- Group-level analysis did not reveal significant differences in hallucination scores across treatment conditions.
- No significant changes in EEG were observed post-rTMS treatment.
Conclusions:
- Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied to the left superior temporal gyrus may benefit a specific subgroup of patients with auditory hallucinations.
- Early and rapid reduction in AH scores was observed in responders to left-sided rTMS compared to right-sided or sham treatments.
