Low-Frequency TMS Improves Schizophrenia-Related Psychomotor Symptoms

Low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can improve symptoms of psychomotor slowing in individuals with schizophrenia, reports astudy inJAMA Psychiatry. Psychomotor slowing involves impairment of both fine and gross motor movements, making tasks like walking or talking difficult.“Psychomotor slowing often comes with multiple disadvantages, such as cognitive impairment, sedentary behavior, cardiometabolic risks, poor quality of life, lower subjective well-being, and impaired functioning,” wrote Sebastian Walther, M.D., and colleagues at the University of Bern, Switzerlan d. The researchers noted that there are no specific treatments for psychomotor slowing but hypothesized that targeting the supplementary motor area of the brain with TMS might be a promising approach.Walther and colleagues enrolled 88 adults (aged 18 to 60) with schizophrenia spectrum disorder and severe psychomotor slowing, defined as a score of 15 or more on the Salp êtrière Retardation Rating Scale. The participants were evenly divided to receive low-frequency repetitive TMS (rTMS at 1 Hertz), high-frequency intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS at 50 Hertz), or sham stimulation or to be placed on a waiting list. All stimulation protocols involved 15 ses sions across three weeks; after three weeks, the wait list group received rTMS. Participants were allowed to continue taking their existing medications.After three weeks, 68% of adults who received rTMS responded to treatment, defin...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: clinical trial low-frequency movement problems psychomotor slowing schizophrenia TMS Transcranial magnetic stimulation Source Type: research