Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 18, 2025
MRI-guided dmPFC-rTMS as a Treatment for Treatment-resistant Major Depressive Disorder
Published on: August 11, 2015
Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia: A meta-analysis
Jingya Li1, Xiaohua Cao1, Sha Liu1
1Shanxi Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence Assisted Diagnosis and Treatment for Mental Disorder, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China; Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital/First Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
Abstract:
To evaluate the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on auditory hallucinations (AH) in schizophrenia, we conducted a meta-analysis of currently available randomized control studies (RCTs). Electronic databases were searched to identify relevant literatures. Only RCTs that met the inclusion criteria were enrolled for further analysis. Standard mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) values were used to evaluate the effects of rTMS. The overall robustness of the results was assessed by analyzing the influence of single studies. Publication bias was analyzed using funnel plots. Eleven eligible studies were included in this meta-analysis. Auditory hallucinations improved more in the rTMS group than in the sham group (SMD = -0.27, 95%CI = -0.51 to -0.03). However, this result was not stable after sensitivity analysis. Despite a moderate effect for rTMS on AH, future definitive trials of rTMS with rigorous processes and high-quality reporting are needed.
