Objective To investigate the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)in the treatment of negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia and its effect on brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF).Methods A total of 130 patients with negative symptoms of schizophrenia who received treatment at The Third Hospital of Quzhou from March 2021 to March 2023 were included in this randomized controlled study.They were divided into a control group and a study group(n=65 per group).Both groups of patients were treated with antipsychotic drugs.Based on this,patients in the study group were treated with high-frequency rTMS,while those in the control group were treated with pseudo-rTMS.After 8 weeks of treatment,Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS),Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms(SANS),and Personal and Social Performance Scale(PSP)scores were evaluated in each group before and after treatment.Serum BDNF levels were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.Adverse reactions were observed during the treatment.Results After 8 weeks of treatment,the PANSS negative subscale score and SANS score in the study group were(16.45±3.98)points and(35.41±6.29)points,respectively,which were significantly lower than(20.08±4.16)points and(41.76±7.36)points in the control group(t=-7.46,-6.85,both P<0.05).PSP score in the study group was(66.85±8.93)points,which was significantly higher than(58.79±8.28)points in the control group(t=5.62,P<0.001).There were no significant differences in PANSS positive subscale score,general psychopathology scale score or total score between the two groups(all P>0.05).After 8 weeks of treatment,the serum BDNF level in the study group was(12.05±2.13)μg/L,which was significantly higher than(8.86±1.94)μg/L in the control group(t=9.73,P<0.001).There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions during the treatment period between the two groups(P>0.05).Serum BDNF level was negatively correlated with PANSS and SANS scores(r=-0.81,-0.85,both P<0.001),while it was positively correlated with PSP score(r=0.82,P<0.001).Conclusion High-frequency rTMS can effectively alleviate the negative symptoms of schizophrenia,increase the secretion of BDNF,and be highly safe.
Transcranial magnetic stimulationSchizophreniaBrain-derived neurotrophic factorSigns and symptomsComparative effectiveness researchRandomized controlled trial