Adjunctive Intermittent Theta-Burst Stimulation for Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder with significant impact on patients' lives.
• Current treatments for schizophrenia have limitations and side effects.
• Adjunctive therapies are being explored to improve treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) as an add-on therapy for schizophrenia.
• To synthesize evidence from double-blind, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on adjunctive iTBS in schizophrenia.

Main Methods:

• A meta-analysis of 15 double-blind, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) involving 671 schizophrenia patients.
• Data extraction and synthesis performed by four independent researchers.
• Statistical analysis using RevMan 5.3 software to calculate risk ratios (RRs) and standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Main Results:

• Adjunctive iTBS significantly improved overall psychopathology (SMD = -0.75), negative symptoms (SMD = -0.76), and general psychopathology (SMD = -0.51) compared to sham interventions.
• Improvements were also observed in cognitive functions, including the Spatial Span Test (SMD = 0.83) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (SMD = 0.49).
• No significant differences were found in positive symptoms, discontinuation rates, or adverse events between iTBS and sham groups.

Conclusions:

• Intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) demonstrates efficacy as an adjunctive treatment for improving psychiatric symptoms and cognitive function in schizophrenia.
• The safety profile of iTBS appears comparable to sham interventions.
• Further research with larger cohorts is recommended to confirm these findings.