An open randomized comparative study of the transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) efficacy and thymoanaleptic pharmacotherapy in depression with stable nonpsychotic schizophrenic patients receiving neuroleptics
The article presents the results of an open randomized study that examined the effectiveness of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Patients were randomized into 2 therapeutic groups. Patients of the first group underwent a course of repeated TMS of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Patients of the second group underwent adequate psychopharmacotherapy with the use of antidepressants. Analysis of the effectiveness of therapy, depending on the severity of depression, showed that TMS is more effective in treating severe depressions compared with adequate psychopharmacotherapy. It is most expedient to use this method in stable patients with prevalence of negative symptoms on the background of supporting antipsychotic therapy.