Depression is the most common co-occurring syndrome in schizophrenia, which affects up to 60% of patients. Depression aggravates negative symptoms and cognitive deficit and can deteriorate social functioning, quality of life and outcome of the disease. Insufficient clinical response to adequate pharmacotherapy determines rising interest to brain stimulation techniques such as rTMS.

The primary goal was to evaluate safety and efficacy of rTMS in treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients with dominant depressive and negative symptoms in open non-controlled trial.

Thirty-one schizophrenia (ICD-10) patients with evident depression (CDSS ≥ 6) and negative symptoms and with stable low rate positive symptoms on combined adequate pharmacotherapy (antipsychotic + antidepressant), which have not been changed for at least 6 weeks, were included to the study.

All patients received 15-Hz rTMS on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (100% intensity, 1800 pulses per session, 5 sessions per week, 15 sessions per course) with 8-shaped coil of Neuro-MS/D stimulator (Neurosoft). The primary efficacy measure was 50% CDSS score reduction after the 3rd week of treatment. The secondary measures were weekly reduction rates for CDSS and for PANSS negative syndrome scale.

Twenty (64,5%) patients respond to rTMS. Final mean CDSS score reduction was 55,2% (P = 0,000004), and mean PANSS negative scale score reduction was 21,3% (P = 0,000012). Two patients (6,5%) were excluded due to persistent headaches, no serious adverse events were observed.

rTMS is safe and effective strategy for the management of treatment-resistant depression in schizophrenia and can alleviate negative symptoms. Further sham-controlled studies are needed.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.