Neuromodulation techniques to treat hallucinations

Abstract

Schizophrenia is an illness in which there is a substantial degree of treatment resistance and suboptimal therapeutic response. Hallucinations are a common symptom of schizophrenia that may remain despite optimal treatment. In recent years, there has been an escalation of interest in the use of novel brain stimulation technologies as potential treatments in schizophrenia and other disorders. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been especially investigated in this regard. The majority of studies in schizophrenia have focused on the use of lowfrequency rTMS, targeted to language processing brain regions, to treat refractory auditory hallucinations. Promisingly, these studies are predominantly positive and suggest that stimulation over temporoparietal cortex may have therapeutic value. However, more research is required to delineate the role of this technique and to explore the use of some of the more novel brain stimulation technologies that are progressively being developed and trialled in other psychiatric disorders.