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Using magnets to stimulate a particular area of
the brain appears to help auditory hallucinations experienced by patients
with schizophrenia. About 50% to 70% of patients with schizophrenia report
having auditory hallucinations, often in the form of imaginary voices.
Drugs offer little help, and these hallucinations can cause distress,
disability, and leave patients unable to control their behavior. The investigators
applied a low-frequency magnetic field to the left temporoparietal cortex
of each patient for 4 minutes the first day, which increased by 4 minutes
each day to 16 minutes on day 4. For comparison purposes, each patient
also went through a "sham" stimulation, where patients had similar
treatment but did not receive a magnetic field. The treatment was well
tolerated, and there was significant improvement in the hallucination
severity after 12 and 16 minutes of active stimulation. The severity of
hallucinations was reduced in all but one patient. However, in the 8 patients
classified as responders, the hallucinations returned after a period ranging
from 4 days to 2 months after the treatment.
The Lancet March 25, 2000;355:1073-1075.
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