Therapeutic brain stimulation in treatment-resistant schizophrenia

Abstract

In the absence of any “gold standard” next step pharmacologic choice for augmentation of clozapine response, it is gratifying that the coming-on-line-of several neuromodulatory strategies now offer viable alternative treatment approaches. There is evidence that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an effective treatment for persistent auditory hallucinations. Additionally, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) continues to have some role in managing refractory schizophrenia. This chapter describes the latest information on several modalities and how/when they should be integrated along the clinical decision-making continuum.