Expressive deficits and amotivation as mediators of the associations between cognitive problems and functional outcomes: Results from two independent cohorts.

Many individuals with severe mental disorders have difficulties in vocational and social functioning, which are regarded the most important outcomes, together with clinical symptoms. To understand the underlying mechanisms, research is increasingly focused on factors influencing functional outcomes. One established association has been shown between cognition and community functioning with negative symptoms as a possible mediator.

Effects of bilateral prefrontal rTMS on brain activation during social-emotional evaluation in schizophrenia: A double-blind, randomized, exploratory study.

This exploratory study reports on the effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) on (prefrontal) brain activity changes during ambiguous emotional evaluation in patients with schizophrenia. Before and after randomly assigned treatment with active and sham rTMS, patients performed the Wall of Faces task during fMRI scanning. fMRI analysis showed that rTMS treatment resulted in reduced activation of striato-fronto-parietal brain areas, while activation increased compared to baseline after sham.

Effect of Bilateral Prefrontal rTMS on Left Prefrontal NAA and Glx Levels in Schizophrenia Patients with Predominant Negative Symptoms: An Exploratory Study.

Background: Prefrontal repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) may improve negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, but few studies have investigated the underlying neural mechanism.

Objective: This study aims to investigate changes in the levels of glutamate and glutamine (Glx, neurotransmitter and precursor) and N-Acetyl Aspartate (NAA) in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of patients with schizophrenia treated with active bilateral prefrontal rTMS as compared to sham-rTMS, as measured with H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (H-MRS).

Methods: Patients were randomized to a 3-week course of active or sham high-frequency rTMS.

Effect of rTMS on brain activation in schizophrenia with negative symptoms: A proof-of-principle study.

Background: Prefrontal cortical dysfunction is frequently reported in schizophrenia and is thought to underlie negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) can modulate neuronal activity and has been shown to improve negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, but the underlying neural mechanism is unknown.

Objective: To examine whether 3weeks of 10Hz rTMS treatment of the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) would improve frontal brain activation in patients with negative symptoms of schizophrenia, as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during the Tower of London (ToL) task.

Efficacy of bilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for negative symptoms of schizophrenia: results of a multicenter double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Background: Few studies have investigated the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment for negative symptoms of schizophrenia, reporting inconsistent results. We aimed to investigate whether 10 Hz stimulation of the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during 3 weeks enhances treatment effects.

Method: A multicenter double-blind randomized controlled trial was performed in 32 patients with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder, and moderate to severe negative symptoms [Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) negative subscale ⩾15].

Short and long term effects of left and bilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in schizophrenia patients with auditory verbal hallucinations: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the left temporo-parietal junction area has been studied as a treatment option for auditory verbal hallucinations. Although the right temporo-parietal junction area has also shown involvement in the genesis of auditory verbal hallucinations, no studies have used bilateral stimulation. Moreover, little is known about durability effects.