Bilateral Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Auditory Hallucinations Original Study

Week 1 treatment includes rTMS for 5 sessions to either to left or right Wernicke's area (BA22) synchronous with rTMS to opposite hemisphere middle temporal cortex (BA21). Week 2 treatment includes rTMS given for 5 sessions with positions reversed (e.g., if Wernicke's stimulation was on the left during Week 1, position of rTMS will switch to the right side during Week 2 and vice-versa). As in Week 1, active rTMS will also be given synchronously to the opposite hemisphere middle temporal cortex. Weeks 3 and 4 include 10 stimulation sessions to the configuration of sites producing greater improvement in comparing results of Week 1 and Week 2. rTMS for each stimulation session will be given at 1-Hertz (once per second) for 16 minutes without interruption.

Week 1 includes repetitive rTMS for 5 sessions to either to left or right Wernicke's area (BA22) synchronous with sham rTMS to opposite hemisphere middle temporal cortex (BA21). Week 2 includes rTMS given for 5 sessions with positions reversed (e.g., if Wernicke's stimulation was on the left during Week 1, position of rTMS will switch to the right side during Week 2 and vice-versa). As in Week 1, sham rTMS will also be given synchronously to the opposite hemisphere middle temporal cortex. Weeks 3 and 4 include 10 stimulation sessions to the configuration of sites producing greater improvement in comparing results of Week 1 and Week 2. rTMS for each stimulation session will be given at 1-Hertz (once per second) for 16 minutes without interruption.